Information recording medium, information recording and/or reproducing apparatus and method, computer program for controlling record or reproduction, and data structure including control signal

ABSTRACT

On an information recording medium, an entire stream including a plurality of portion streams, each of which is provided with content information including still picture information, is multiplexed-and-recorded by a unit of packet. The information recording medium is provided with a file for storing object data, which is provided with a plurality of packets, each of which stores therein a piece of the content information. The information recording medium is further provided with a file for storing information which defines a reproduction sequence of the object data. The object data includes packets, each packet storing therein a piece of respective one of still picture information sets, the still picture information set including still picture information and control information thereof. A display control to the still picture information included in one still picture information set is described by the control information included in another still picture information set.

This application is a division of co-pending application Ser. No.10/510,447, filed on Sep. 26, 2005. application Ser. No. 10/510,447 isthe national phase of PCT International Application No. PCT/JP03/04454filed on Apr. 8, 2003 under 35 U.S.C. § 371, which claims priority ofJapanese Application No. 2002-105677 filed Apr. 8, 2002. The entirecontents of each of the above-identified applications are herebyincorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to: an information recording medium, suchas a high-density optical disc, on which various information can berecorded at high density, such as main picture information or videoinformation, audio information, sub picture information, andreproduction control information; an apparatus for and a method ofrecording the information onto the information recording medium; anapparatus for and a method of reproducing the information from theinformation recording medium; an apparatus and a method capable of bothrecording and reproducing the information, a computer program forcontrolling the record or the reproduction, and a data structureincluding a control signal for controlling the reproduction.

BACKGROUND ART

DVDs are generalized as optical discs on which various information isrecorded, such as the video information, the audio information, the subpicture information, and the reproduction control information. Accordingto the DVD standard, the video information (e.g. video data), the audioinformation (e.g. audio data), and the sub picture information (e.g. subpicture data) are individually packetized with the reproduction controlinformation (e.g. navigation data) and are multiplexed and recorded on adisc in the “program stream” format of the MPEG 2 (Moving PictureExperts Group phase 2) standard, which is a highly efficient encodingtechnique. In the video information among them, there is only one streamof data compressed according to the MPEG video format (ISO 13818-2)within one program stream. On the other hand, the audio information isrecorded in a plurality of methods (namely, linear PCM, AC-3, MPEGaudio, and the like). The audio information can exist up to 8 streamswithin one program stream. The sub picture information is defined with abitmap and is compressed and recorded in a run-length method. The subpicture information can exist up to 32 streams within one programstream. In the case of the DVD, as described above, a plurality ofstreams of the chooseable or selectable audio information (e.g. streamsof a stereo sound, a surrounding sound, an original English sound, adubbed Japanese sound, and the like) and a plurality of streams of thechooseable or selectable sub picture information (e.g. streams ofJapanese subtitle, English subtitle, and the like) are multiplexed andrecorded by using the program stream format, for one stream of the videoinformation in one movie or film, for example.

On the other hand, the “transport stream” format of the MPEG 2 standardhas been recently standardized, and this is appropriate for datatransmission. According to this transport stream format, a plurality of“elementary streams” are transmitted at the same time. For example, aplurality of shows or programs, such as many TV channels of satellitedigital broadcasting, are time-division-multiplexed to one satellitewave and are transmitted at the same time.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

However, in the above described DVD, although the main picture of onestream can be multiplexed and recorded with the audio information, thesub picture information, and the like of a plurality of streams, thevideo of the plurality of streams cannot be multiplexed and recorded.Namely, the DVD, on which recording is performed on the basis of theprogram stream format of the MPEG 2, has such a problem that a pluralityof shows or programs cannot be essentially multiplexed and recordedthereon, which are transmitted at that same time in the transport streamformat of the MPEG 2 as described above.

Moreover, even if there is a disc which has such a high transmissionrate and has such a high recording capacity or such a high recordingdensity as to be capable of recording at the same time the plurality ofshows or programs transmitted in the transport stream format of the MPEG2, it is inappropriate, in terms of data efficiency, to record andreproduce still-picture information having a large data amount, such asthe above-described bitmap data, frequently, with respect to areproduction time axis. Particularly, if broadcasting is received inreal time and is only displayed through a tuner, such display processingof the still picture information is relatively simple. However, afterrecorded into a disc as one of the elementary streams, the still pictureinformation is regarded, by its nature, as the object of interactivereproduction, special reproduction, such as time search and chaptersearch by a user, or the like. In some cases, this greatly increases aload to the reproduction and display processing of the still pictureinformation or the like, which is provided with the bitmap data having alarge data amount. In order to deal with this circumstance, there arisesa need to dramatically improve hardware performances or the like onlyfor the processing of the still picture information. Alternatively, withrespect to the still picture information, there arises such a technicalproblem that its image or picture quality deteriorates or that thespecial reproduction or the interactive reproduction is limited.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide aninformation recording medium, an apparatus for and a method of recordinginformation, an apparatus for and a method of reproducing theinformation, an apparatus for and a method of recording and reproducingthe information, a computer program for controlling the record or thereproduction, and a data structure including a control signal forcontrolling the reproduction, which make it possible to multiplex andrecord the still picture information having a relatively large dataamount along with motion picture information (or the video information)and the audio information or the like and which make it possible toreproduce the still picture information while inhibiting an increase inthe load in the reproduction and display processing.

The above object of the present invention can be achieved by aninformation recording medium on which a plurality of contentinformation, which includes still picture information constituting aseries of contents, is multiplexed-and-recorded by a unit of packet,which is a physically accessible unit, the information recording mediumprovided with: an object data file, which is a logically accessibleunit, for storing object data which comprises a plurality of packetsincluding packets each storing therein a piece of the contentinformation; a reproduction sequence information file for storingreproduction sequence information which defines a reproduction sequenceof the object data; and an object information file for storing, asreproduction control information for controlling reproduction of theobject data, correspondence definition information for defining acorrespondence relationship between the plurality of packets which aremultiplexed and the plurality of content information, wherein theplurality of packets constituting the object data include packets eachstoring therein a piece of respective one of still picture informationsets, the still picture information set including at least one of thestill picture information and still picture control information forcontrolling display of the still picture information and furtherincluding structural information for indicating a structures of thestill picture information set, and with respect to at least one portionof the still picture information, a display control to the still pictureinformation included in one still picture information set out of thestill picture information sets is described by the still picture controlinformation included in another still picture information set out of thestill picture information sets.

According to the information recording medium of the present invention,the object data file is a logically accessible unit by an informationreproducing apparatus and stores the object data constructed by aplurality of packets (e.g. TS packets described later), each of whichstores therein a piece of the content information including the stillpicture information. The reproduction sequence information file storesthe reproduction sequence information (e.g. play list information),which defines the reproduction sequence of the object data. The objectinformation file stores the correspondence definition information (e.g.a ES map table, ES_PID (ES packet ID) and ES address informationincluded in the ES map table, or an AU table or the like, which will bedescribed later) for defining a correspondence relationship between theplurality of packets which are multiplexed and the plurality of contentinformation.

Therefore, in reproducing, it is possible to selectively reproduce oneor the plurality of content information which are desired out of aplurality of contents on the basis of the correspondence definitioninformation. At this time, it is possible to perform the reproduction asin the scheduled reproduction sequence on the basis of the reproductionsequence information.

As opposed to the case of the object data file, various informationstored in the object information file and the reproduction sequenceinformation file are not multiplexed by the unit of packet on theinformation recording medium. Therefore, it is possible to relativelyeasily reproduce the object data on the information reproducingapparatus on the basis of the reproduction control information and thereproduction sequence information.

Particularly in the present invention, the plurality of packetsconstituting the object data includes packets each storing thereinrespective one of the still picture information sets. Here, the “stillpicture information set” is an information set including either one orboth of the still picture information and the still picture controlinformation and having a predetermined structure in which a data amountis variable or fixed. Therefore, in reproducing, by firstly accessingthe structural information having an identifier or the like in theobject data file, it is possible to obtain the still picture informationand the still picture control information included in the still pictureinformation set for including the structural information in accordancewith the content of the accessed structural information. Morespecifically, even if one still picture information set is divided intothe plurality of or many packets, for example, by specifying the addressof a head packet in which the identifier of the structural informationis disposed (e.g. by counting the packets in the structure), it ispossible to specify the addresses of the still picture information andthe still picture control information included in the still pictureinformation set. As a result, it is possible to display-control thestill picture information on the basis of the still picture controlinformation.

Moreover, in the present invention, particularly with respect to atleast one portion of the still picture information, a display control tothe still picture information included in one still picture informationset is described by the still picture control information included inanother still picture information set. Therefore, one still pictureinformation included in one still picture information set can bedisplay-controlled by another still picture control information includedin another still picture information set which is recorded separatelyfrom the one still picture information set (i.e. placed before or afteron the reproduction time axis or alienated from each other as thepacket). Moreover, one still picture information included in one stillpicture information set can be display-controlled in different forms bythe other plurality of still picture control information included in theother plurality of still picture information set. Namely, it can bedifferently displayed by using the same still picture information manytimes or sharing it, so that it is possible to reduce a data amountrequired to perform still-picture-display as a whole. It is alsopossible to simplify the structure of record data. Alternatively, aplurality of still picture information can be differently displayed byusing the same still picture control information many times or sharingit.

As described above, as compared to such a conventional technique thatthe still picture information and the control information thereof areread at each time of displaying the still picture information, which isconstructed from, e.g., the bitmap data and the JPEG data, and that theinformation is deleted in accordance with the end of the display tothereby read the next still picture information and the controlinformation thereof, it is possible to reduce a data processing load forthe still-picture-display, and it is possible to improve the usabilityof the data.

Consequently, it is possible to appropriately reproduce the stillpicture information, which is included as a sub picture stream in thetransport stream of the MPEG 2, for example, along with the other videoinformation and audio information or alone. In this case, if the specialreproduction, such as time search, chapter search, fast-forwarding, andrewinding, is performed, i.e., even if the reproduction is started froman arbitrary time point, the still picture information, such as thebitmap and the JPEG, having a relatively large data amount can beefficiently reproduced in any case, along with the motion pictureinformation and the audio information or the like, and an increase inthe load in the reproduction processing is inhibited efficiently.

In one aspect of the information recording medium of the presentinvention, the still picture information set includes at least one offirst and third still picture information sets and includes a secondstill picture information set, out of (i) the first still pictureinformation set for including the still picture information, the stillpicture control information, and the structural information, (ii) thesecond still picture information set for including the still picturecontrol information and the structural information but not including thestill picture information, and (iii) the third still picture informationset for including the still picture information and the structuralinformation but not including the still picture control information.

According to this aspect, there are at most three types of still pictureinformation sets. In any case, in reproducing, by specifying the headpacket thereof, it is possible to specify each of the addresses of allthe packets constituting each still picture information set, on thebasis of the structural information. Moreover, by using the three typesof still picture information set, preferably, it is possible todisplay-control the same still picture information in different forms bythe plurality of still picture control information, and it is alsopossible to display-control the plurality of mutually different stillpicture information by the same still picture control information.

Moreover, in a simple case, it is possible to performstill-picture-reproduction by a combination of the still pictureinformation and the still picture control information included in thesame still picture information set. The specification of the address inthis case can be easily performed by specifying the same head packet.

In an aspect associated with the three types of still pictureinformation sets, a display control to the still picture informationincluded in at least one of the first and third still pictureinformation sets is described by the still picture control informationincluded in the second still picture information set.

By constituting in this manner, in reproducing, it is possible todisplay-control the still picture information included in the first andthird still picture information sets, which include the still pictureinformation, on the basis of the still picture control informationincluded in the second still picture information set, which does notinclude the still picture information.

Incidentally, it is obvious that the display-control to the stillpicture information included in the first still picture information setmay be described by the still picture control information included inthe same first still picture information set. Moreover, thedisplay-control to the still picture information included in the thirdstill picture information set may be described by the still picturecontrol information included in the first still picture information set.

Alternatively, in an aspect associated with the three types of stillpicture information sets, a display control to the still pictureinformation included in at least one of the first and third stillpicture information sets is described by a plurality of the stillpicture control information included in a plurality of the second stillpicture information set, so as to perform a plurality of mutuallydifferent display controls.

By constituting in this manner, in reproducing, it is possible todisplay-control the still picture information included in the first andthird still picture information sets, on the basis of the plurality ofstill picture control information included in the plurality of secondstill picture information sets, in different forms substantially oneafter another on the reproduction time axis. Alternatively, according toa conditional branch and a selection operation, it is possible todisplay-control the same still picture information, at the samereproduction time point, selectively, in different forms.

In another aspect of the information recording medium of the presentinvention, a packet storing the structural information therein isdisposed at a head position of the plurality of packets associated withthe still picture information set.

According to this aspect, in reproducing, by searching for and readingthe head packet of the still picture information set in the object datafile, it is possible to specify the structure of the still pictureinformation set. By this, it is possible to easily specify the packetstoring therein the still picture information and the still picturecontrol information, which constitute the still picture information set.

Incidentally, if the amount of information in the structural informationis smaller than the packet, it may be constructed such that the entirestructural information and one portion of the still picture informationor still picture control information are stored in the same head packet,or such that only the structural information is stored in one headpacket. Alternatively, if the amount of information in the structuralinformation is larger than the packet, it may be constructed such thatthe structural information is stored in the plurality of packets.

In another aspect of the information recording medium of the presentinvention, out of an identifier of the still picture information, a datalength of the still picture control information, a data length of thestill picture information, and position information for indicating arecording position of the still picture information, the structuralinformation includes at least the identifier.

According to this aspect, by focusing on the entry section specified inreproducing as described later, for example, to thereby search for the“identifier” of the still picture information set in the object datafile, it is possible to find out each still picture information setrelatively quickly and easily. In particular, with respect to the firststill picture information set, it can be specified where the arrangementof the packets storing therein the information ends, on the basis of thedata length of the still picture control information and the data lengthof the still picture information. With respect to the second stillpicture information set, it can be specified where the arrangement ofthe packets storing therein the information ends, on the basis of thedata length of the still picture control information. With respect tothe third still picture information set, it can be specified where thearrangement of the packets storing therein the information ends, on thebasis of the data length of the still picture information. In thismanner, by following the data length of the still picture informationand the data length of the still picture control information, which arethe structural information, even if one still picture information set isdivided into the plurality of or many packets, by specifying the addressof the head packet, it is possible to specify the addresses of theentire packets of the still picture information set. In other words, itis possible to reduce the data amount of the correspondence definitioninformation, particularly, the address information in the packet, whichis to be stored in the object information file.

In the case of the second still picture information set, the “positioninformation for indicating a recording position of the still pictureinformation” may be position information for indicating a recordingposition of the still picture information which is the object of thedisplay control (e.g. the entry section). On the other hand, in the caseof the first or third still picture information set, the positioninformation of the still picture information is unnecessary as the stillpicture information itself is included. In this case, for example,information for indicating to be invalid is written as the positioninformation.

In addition, it is possible to show that the still picture informationset is the second still picture information set by setting the datalength of the still picture information to be “0” or a predeterminedvalue for indicating to be in valid. Alternatively, it is possible toshow that the still picture information set is the third still pictureinformation set by setting the data length of the still picture controlinformation to be “0” or a predetermined value for indicating to be invalid.

In another aspect of the information recording medium of the presentinvention, the still picture control information includes informationfor indicating a display start time point of a still picture which isdisplayed on the basis of the still picture information and informationfor indicating a display time length of the still picture.

According to this aspect, it is possible to perform thestill-picture-reproduction by the corresponding still pictureinformation, on the basis of the information for indicating the displaystart time point and the display time length of the still picture, whichis included in the still picture control information, for a desired timelength matched with the will of a producer.

In another aspect of the information recording medium of the presentinvention, the object data comprises an entire stream which includes aplurality of portion streams, each comprising the content information,and which is multiplexed by a unit of packet, and the still pictureinformation set is included in the object data as one or a plurality ofportion streams for the still picture information set.

According to this aspect, the entire stream, such as at least oneportion of the transport stream of the MPEG 2, is provided with theplurality of portion streams, such as elementary streams. Each of theportion streams is provided with the content information. Such an entirestream is multiplexed-and-recorded onto the information recordingmedium, by the unit of packet (e.g. the TS packet described later). Thestill picture information set is included as one or a plurality ofportion streams for the still picture information set (e.g. sub picturestreams only for a still picture). Therefore, it is possible to performthe still-picture-display based on the still picture information and thestill picture control information by reproducing the portion stream forthe still picture information set.

Such an entire stream may include two or more portion streams includingthe video information as the content information (i.e. video streams).Alternatively, the entire stream may include the portion streamincluding the video information as the content information, a portionstream including the sub picture information (i.e. the sub picturestream), and a portion stream including the audio information (i.e. anaudio stream), which are corresponding to the video information.

Incidentally, in the information recording medium of the presentinvention, the correspondence definition information may further havetable information for indicating, for each content information, a packetidentification number which is uniquely given between the plurality ofpackets multiplexed at the same time point. By constituting in thismanner, it is possible to quickly specify to which packet the desiredcontent information correspondences at an arbitrary reproduction timepoint, by referring to the table information for indicating the packetidentification number for each content information (e.g. the ES maptable or the ES address information described later). This makes itpossible to reproduce the desired portion stream.

In an aspect associated with the entire and portion streams, thecorrespondence definition information has address information includinga serial number, which is associated with the packets constituting eachportion stream and satisfying a predetermined condition, and a displaystart time point corresponding to this, for each of the plurality ofportion streams.

By constituting in this manner, it is possible to specify the positionof the packet in the object data file on the basis of the serial numberof the packets and the display start time point of the packets, tothereby appropriately reproduce the desired portion stream.

Furthermore, in this case, the correspondence definition information mayinclude: a flag for indicating whether or not there is a head packet ofthe still picture information set for including the still pictureinformation, in an entry section specified by two packets adjacent toeach other, in an arrangement of only packets whose positions arespecified by the address information out of the plurality of packetsconstituting the portion stream; and a flag for indicating whether ornot there is a head packet of the still picture information set forincluding the still picture control information, in the entry section.

By constituting in this manner, in reproducing, with respect to thestill picture information or the still picture control information, theaddress information is not directly specified by referring to thecorrespondence definition information, but instead, the entry section inwhich the still picture information or the still picture controlinformation exists is specified. After the entry section in which thestill picture information or the still picture control informationexists is specified, by setting the packet which is actually multiplexedin the object data file and which is in the specified entry section tobe a search object, it is possible to find out the still pictureinformation or the still picture control information easily and quickly(e.g. by finding out its header, identifier, or the like).

Here, it is preferable to describe “between two packets” as “betweendisplay start time points of the still picture information associatedwith the two packets”, not as “between two serial numbers associatedwith the two packets”. This is because by describing in this manner,even if some packets are removed by an edit operation, to thereby causea missing or shifted number in the serial number of the packets from thebeginning, this does not cause a missing or shifting in the displaystart time point. However, under circumstances in which such an editoperation or the like can be ignored, “between two packets” may bedescribed as “between two serial numbers associated with the twopackets”.

Furthermore, in this case, it may be constructed such that if thecontent information includes video information based on a MPEG 2 (MovingPicture Experts Group phase 2) standard, the address informationincludes a serial number of the packets associated with an I picture anda display start time point corresponding thereto.

By constituting in this manner, in reproducing, it is possible tospecify the address of the packet of interest on the basis of the serialnumber of the packets associated with the I picture, and it is possibleto reproduce the I picture on the basis of the corresponding displaystart time point. Moreover, on the basis of the I picture, it ispossible to reproduce a B picture and a P picture. If there is the audioinformation corresponding to the video information as described above,the audio information can be reproduced. Namely, it is possible toaccess the packets associated with the I picture, and moreover, it ispossible to access the packets associated with the video information andthe audio information related to the accessed I picture. Thus, it ispossible to appropriately reproduce a series of contents. Particularlyin this case, it is unnecessary to record or write the addressinformation of the packets associated with the B picture and the Ppicture and the address information of the packet associated with thecorresponding audio information, so that it is possible to reduce theamount of the information which is recorded onto the informationrecording medium as a whole.

The above object of the present invention can be achieved by aninformation recording apparatus for multiplexing and recording aplurality of content information, which includes still pictureinformation constituting a series of contents, onto an informationrecording medium by a unit of packet, which is a physically accessibleunit, the information recording apparatus provided with: a firstrecording device for recording an object data file, which is a logicallyaccessible unit, for storing object data which comprises a plurality ofpackets including packets each storing therein a piece of the contentinformation; a second recording device for recording a reproductionsequence information file for storing reproduction sequence informationwhich defines a reproduction sequence of the object data; and a thirdrecording device for recording an object information file for storing,as reproduction control information for controlling reproduction of theobject data, correspondence definition information for defining acorrespondence relationship between the plurality of packets which aremultiplexed and the plurality of content information, wherein theplurality of packets constituting the object data include packets, eachpacket storing therein a piece of respective one of still pictureinformation sets each including at least one of the still pictureinformation and still picture control information for controllingdisplay of the still picture information and further includingstructural information for indicating a structures of the still pictureinformation set, and with respect to at least one portion of the stillpicture information, a display control to the still picture informationincluded in one still picture information set out of the still pictureinformation sets is described by the still picture control informationincluded in another still picture information set out of the stillpicture information sets.

According to the information recording apparatus of the presentinvention, the object data file for storing the object data is recordedby the first recording device, such as a system controller, an encoder,a TS object generator as described later, and an optical pickup. Thereproduction sequence information file for storing the reproductionsequence information is recorded by the second recording device, such asa system controller, an encoder, a TS object generator as describedlater, and an optical pickup. The object information file for storingthe correspondence definition information for defining a correspondencerelationship between the plurality of packets which are multiplexed andthe plurality of content information is recorded by the third recordingdevice, such as a system controller, an encoder, a TS object generatoras described later, and an optical pickup, as the reproduction controlinformation. Then, the plurality of packets constituting the object datainclude packets, each packet storing therein a piece of respective oneof the still picture information sets. With respect to at least oneportion of the still picture information, the display control to thestill picture information included in one still picture information setis described by the still picture control information included inanother still picture information set. Therefore, it is possible tomultiplex and record various content information, such as at least oneportion of the transport stream of the MPEG 2, for example, includingthe still picture information, such as the bitmap and the JPEG, onto theabove-described information recording medium of the present invention.

Incidentally, the information recording apparatus of the presentinvention can also take various aspects in response to various aspectsof the above-described information recording medium of the presentinvention.

The above object of the present invention can be achieved by aninformation recording method of multiplexing and recording a pluralityof content information, which includes still picture informationconstituting a series of contents, onto an information recording mediumby a unit of packet, which is a physically accessible unit, theinformation recording method provided with: a first recording process ofrecording an object data file, which is a logically accessible unit, forstoring object data which comprises a plurality of packets includingpackets each storing therein a piece of the content information; asecond recording process of recording a reproduction sequenceinformation file for storing reproduction sequence information whichdefines a reproduction sequence of the object data; and a thirdrecording process of recording an object information file for storing,as reproduction control information for controlling reproduction of theobject data, correspondence definition information for defining acorrespondence relationship between the plurality of packets which aremultiplexed and the plurality of content information, wherein theplurality of packets constituting the object data include packets, eachpacket storing therein a piece of respective one of still pictureinformation sets each including at least one of the still pictureinformation and still picture control information for controllingdisplay of the still picture information and further includingstructural information for indicating a structures of the still pictureinformation set, and with respect to at least one portion of the stillpicture information, a display control to the still picture informationincluded in one still picture information set out of the still pictureinformation sets is described by the still picture control informationincluded in another still picture information set out of the stillpicture information sets.

According to the information recording method of the present invention,the object data file for storing the object data is recorded by thefirst recording process. The reproduction sequence information file forstoring the reproduction sequence information is recorded by the secondrecording process. The object information file for storing thecorrespondence definition information for defining a correspondencerelationship between the plurality of packets which are multiplexed andthe plurality of content information is recorded by the third recordingprocess as the reproduction control information. Then, the plurality ofpackets constituting the object data include packets, each packetstoring therein a piece of respective one of the still pictureinformation sets. With respect to at least one portion of the stillpicture information, the display control to the still pictureinformation included in one still picture information set is describedby the still picture control information included in another stillpicture information set. Therefore, it is possible to multiplex andrecord various content information, such as at least one portion of thetransport stream of the MPEG 2, for example, including the still pictureinformation, such as the bitmap and the JPEG, onto the above-describedinformation recording medium of the present invention.

Incidentally, the information recording method of the present inventioncan also take various aspects in response to various aspects of theabove-described information recording medium of the present invention.

The above object of the present invention can be achieved by aninformation reproducing apparatus for reproducing the recorded contentinformation from the above-described information recording medium(including its various aspects), the information reproducing apparatusprovided with: a reading device for physically reading information fromthe information recording medium; and a reproducing device forreproducing the object data included in the information read by thereading device on the basis of the reproduction control information andthe reproduction sequence information included in the information readby the reading device.

According to the information reproducing apparatus of the presentinvention, information is physically read by the reading device, such asan optical pickup and a demodulator, from the information recordingmedium by a unit of packet or the like. Then, the object data includedin the read information is reproduced by the reproducing device, such asa system controller, a demultiplexer, and a decoder, on the basis of thereproduction control information and the reproduction sequenceinformation included in this read information. Therefore, it is possibleto appropriately reproduce, as a series of content information, thecontent information multiplexed and recorded on the above-describedinformation recording medium of the present invention. Particularly inthis case, the still picture information, such as the bitmap and theJPEG, having a relatively large data amount can be efficientlyreproduced, and an increase in the load in the reproduction processingis inhibited efficiently.

Incidentally, the information reproducing apparatus of the presentinvention can also take various aspects in response to various aspectsof the above-described information recording medium of the presentinvention.

In one aspect of the information reproducing apparatus of the presentinvention, the reproducing device temporarily stores at least one of thestill picture information and the still picture control information intoa buffer and performs a display control to the still picture informationincluded in the one still picture information set on the basis of thestill picture control information included in the another still pictureinformation set.

According to this aspect, preferably, it is possible to display-controlthe same still picture information in different forms by the pluralityof still picture control information, and it is also possible todisplay-control the plurality of mutually different still pictureinformation by the same still picture control information.

The above object of the present invention can be achieved by aninformation reproducing method of reproducing the recorded contentinformation from the above-described information recording medium(including its various aspects), the information reproducing methodprovided with: a reading process of physically reading information fromthe information recording medium; and a reproducing process ofreproducing the object data included in the information read by thereading process on the basis of the reproduction control information andthe reproduction sequence information included in the information readby the reading process.

According to the information reproducing method of the presentinvention, information is physically read by the reading process fromthe information recording medium by a unit of packet or the like. Then,the object data included in the read information is reproduced by thereproducing process on the basis of the reproduction control informationand the reproduction sequence information included in this readinformation. Therefore, it is possible to appropriately reproduce, as aseries of content information, the content information multiplexed andrecorded on the above-described information recording medium of thepresent invention. Particularly in this case, the still pictureinformation, such as the bitmap and the JPEG, having a relatively largedata amount can be efficiently reproduced, and an increase in the loadin the reproduction processing is inhibited efficiently.

Incidentally, the information reproducing method of the presentinvention can also take various aspects in response to various aspectsof the above-described information recording medium of the presentinvention and various aspects of the above-described informationreproducing apparatus.

The above object of the present invention can be achieved by aninformation recording and reproducing apparatus for recording thecontent information onto the above-described information recordingmedium (including its various aspects) and reproducing the recordedcontent information, the information recording and reproducing apparatusprovided with: a first recording device for recording the object datafile; a second recording device for recording the reproduction sequenceinformation file; a third recording device for recording the objectinformation file; a reading device for physically reading informationfrom the information recording medium; and a reproducing device forreproducing the object data included in the information read by thereading device on the basis of the reproduction control information andthe reproduction sequence information included in the information readby the reading device.

According to the information recording and reproducing apparatus of thepresent invention, as with the above-described information recordingapparatus of the present invention, the object data file is multiplexedand recorded by the first recording apparatus. The reproduction sequenceinformation file is recorded by the second recording device. The objectinformation file is recorded by the third recording device. Then, aswith the above-described information reproducing apparatus of thepresent invention, information is physically read by the reading devicefrom the information recording medium. Then, the object data included inthe read information is reproduced by the reproducing device on thebasis of the reproduction control information and the reproductionsequence information included in this read information. Therefore, it ispossible to multiplex and record various content information, such as atleast one portion of the transport stream of the MPEG 2, including thestill picture information, such as the bitmap and the JPEG, onto theabove-described information recording medium of the present invention,and further it is possible to appropriately reproduce the multiplexedand recorded content information, including thestill-picture-reproduction.

Incidentally, the information recording and reproducing apparatus of thepresent invention can also take various aspects in response to variousaspects of the above-described information recording medium of thepresent invention.

The above object of the present invention can be achieved by aninformation recording and reproducing method of recording contentinformation onto the above-described information recording medium(including its various aspects) and reproducing the recorded contentinformation, the information recording and reproducing method providedwith: a first recording process of recording the object data file; asecond recording process of recording the reproduction sequenceinformation file; a third recording process of recording the objectinformation file; a reading process of physically reading informationfrom the information recording medium; and a reproducing process ofreproducing the object data included in the information read by thereading process on the basis of the reproduction control information andthe reproduction sequence information included in the information readby the reading process.

According to the information recording and reproducing method of thepresent invention, as with the above-described information recordingmethod of the present invention, the object data file is multiplexed andrecorded by the first recording process. The reproduction sequenceinformation file is recorded by the second recording process. The objectinformation file is recorded by the third recording process. Then, aswith the above-described information reproducing method of the presentinvention, information is physically read by the reading process fromthe information recording medium. Then, the object data included in theread information is reproduced by the reproducing process on the basisof the reproduction control information and the reproduction sequenceinformation included in this read information. Therefore, it is possibleto multiplex and record various content information, such as at leastone portion of the transport stream of the MPEG 2, including the stillpicture information, such as the bitmap and the JPEG, onto theabove-described information recording medium of the present invention,and further it is possible to appropriately reproduce the multiplexedand recorded content information, including thestill-picture-reproduction.

Incidentally, the information recording and reproducing method of thepresent invention can also take various aspects in response to variousaspects of the above-described information recording medium of thepresent invention.

The above object of the present invention can be achieved by a computerprogram for controlling record which controls a computer provided in theabove-described information recording apparatus of the present invention(including its various aspects) and which causes the computer tofunction as at least one portion of the first recording device, thesecond recording device, and the third recording device.

According to the computer program for controlling record of the presentinvention, the above described information recording apparatus of thepresent invention can be relatively easily realized as a computer readsand executes the computer program from a program storage device, such asa ROM, a CD-ROM, a DVD-ROM, and a hard disk, or as it executes thecomputer program after downloading the program through a communicationdevice.

The above object of the present invention can be achieved by a computerprogram for controlling reproduction which controls a computer providedin the above-described information reproducing apparatus of the presentinvention (including its various aspects) and which causes the computerto function as at least one portion of the reproducing device.

According to the computer program for controlling reproduction of thepresent invention, the above described information reproducing apparatusof the present invention can be relatively easily realized as a computerreads and executes the computer program from a program storage device,such as a ROM, a CD-ROM, a DVD-ROM, and a hard disk, or as it executesthe computer program after downloading the program through acommunication device.

The above object of the present invention can be achieved by a computerprogram for controlling record and reproduction which controls acomputer provided in the above-described information recording andreproducing apparatus of the present invention (including its variousaspects) and which causes the computer to function as at least oneportion of the first recording device, the second recording device, thethird recording device, and the reproducing device.

According to the computer program for controlling record andreproduction of the present invention, the above described informationrecording and reproducing apparatus of the present invention can berelatively easily realized as a computer reads and executes the computerprogram from a program storage device, such as a ROM, a CD-ROM, aDVD-ROM, and a hard disk, or as it executes the computer program afterdownloading the program through a communication device.

The above object of the present invention can be achieved by a datastructure including a control signal, in which a plurality of contentinformation, which includes still picture information constituting aseries of contents, is multiplexed-and-recorded by a unit of packet,which is a physically accessible unit, provided with: an object datafile, which is a logically accessible unit, for storing object datawhich comprises a plurality of packets including packets each storingtherein a piece of the content information; a reproduction sequenceinformation file for storing reproduction sequence information whichdefines a reproduction sequence of the object data; and an objectinformation file for storing, as reproduction control information forcontrolling reproduction of the object data, correspondence definitioninformation for defining a correspondence relationship between theplurality of packets which are multiplexed and the plurality of contentinformation, wherein the plurality of packets constituting the objectdata include packets, each packet storing therein a piece of respectiveone of still picture information sets each including at least one of thestill picture information and still picture control information forcontrolling display of the still picture information and furtherincluding structural information for indicating a structure of the stillpicture information set, and with respect to at least one portion of thestill picture information, a display control to the still pictureinformation included in one still picture information set out of thestill picture information sets is described by the still picture controlinformation included in another still picture information set out of thestill picture information sets.

According to the data structure including a control signal of thepresent invention, as in the case of the above-described informationrecording medium of the present invention, it is possible to multiplexand record the complicated content information including the stillpicture information, such as the bitmap and the JPEG, on the basis ofthe transport stream of the MPEG 2, and reproduce it including thestill-picture-reproduction.

Incidentally, the data structure including a control signal of thepresent invention can also take various aspects in response to variousaspects of the above-described information recording medium of thepresent invention.

The above object of the present invention can be also achieved by afirst program storage device readable by a computer in an informationrecording apparatus for tangibly embodying a program of instructionsexecutable by the computer to perform the above-described informationrecording method of the present invention.

The above object of the present invention can be also achieved by asecond program storage device readable by a computer in an informationreproducing apparatus for tangibly embodying a program of instructionsexecutable by the computer to perform the above-described informationreproducing method of the present invention.

The above object of the present invention can be also achieved by athird program storage device readable by a computer in an informationrecording and reproducing apparatus for tangibly embodying a program ofinstructions executable by the computer to perform the above-describedinformation recording and reproducing method of the present invention.

According to the first, second, or third program storage device, such asa CD-ROM, a ROM, a DVD-ROM, and a hard disk, of the present invention,the above described information recording method, informationreproducing method, or information recording and reproducing method ofthe present invention can be relatively easily realized as a computerreads and executes the program of instructions or as it executes theprogram after downloading the program through a communication device.

The above object of the present invention can be also achieved by afirst computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and representing aseries of instructions which cause a computer in an informationrecording apparatus to perform the above-described information recordingmethod of the present invention.

The above object of the present invention can be also achieved by asecond computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and representinga series of instructions which cause a computer in an informationreproducing apparatus to perform the above-described informationreproducing method of the present invention.

The above object of the present invention can be also achieved by athird computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and representing aseries of instructions which cause a computer in an informationrecording and reproducing apparatus to perform the above-describedinformation recording and reproducing method of the present invention.

According to the first, second, or third computer data signal embodiedin the carrier wave of the present invention, as the computer downloadsthe program in the computer data signal through a computer network orthe like, and executes this program, it is possible to relatively easilyrealize the above described information recording method, informationreproducing method, or information recording and reproducing method ofthe present invention.

These functions and other advantages of the present invention will beapparent from the following description of embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a basic structure of an optical disc asbeing one embodiment of an information recording medium of the presentinvention, the upper part being a schematic plan view of the opticaldisc having a plurality of areas, the corresponding bottom part being anschematic diagram of the area structure in the radial direction;

FIG. 2 are a schematic diagram of the conventional program stream of theMPEG 2 (FIG. 2( a)) and a schematic diagram of the transport stream ofthe MPEG 2 used in the embodiment (FIG. 2( b));

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a data structure recorded on theoptical disc in the embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing details of the data structure ineach object shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing that an elementary stream for aprogram #1 at an upper level and an elementary stream for a program #2at a middle level are multiplexed, constituting a transport stream forthese two programs at a low level, with the horizontal axis as a timeaxis;

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the image of TS packetsmultiplexed in one transport stream as a packet alignment along time;

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing the logical construction of dataon the optical disc in the embodiment, focusing on the development of alogical hierarchy to an object hierarchy or an entity hierarchy;

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing an information recording/reproducingapparatus related to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing a record operation (part 1) of theinformation recording/reproducing apparatus in the embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a flow chart showing a record operation (part 2) of theinformation recording/reproducing apparatus in the embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a flow chart showing a record operation (part 3) of theinformation recording/reproducing apparatus in the embodiment;

FIG. 12 is a flow chart showing a record operation (part 4) of theinformation recording/reproducing apparatus in the embodiment;

FIG. 13 is a flow chart showing a reproduction operation of theinformation recording/reproducing apparatus in the embodiment;

FIG. 14 is a conceptual diagram showing one example of the datastructure of ES address information associated with a video streamconstructed in an ES map table in object information in the embodiment;

FIG. 15 is a conceptual diagram schematically showing one example of thepositions of TS packets registered in the ES address information of thevideo stream on a TS object with respect to a time axis;

FIG. 16 is a conceptual diagram showing the contents of SP data, SPcontrol information, and structural information, associated with a firstobtaining method of obtaining the SP data and the SP control informationin the embodiment;

FIG. 17 are schematic diagrams showing sub picture structures associatedwith the embodiment;

FIG. 18 is a conceptual diagram showing a packet arrangement conditionadopted in the first obtaining method, on a time axis of the TS object;

FIG. 19 is a conceptual diagram showing an obtaining procedure in thefirst obtaining method;

FIG. 20 is a conceptual diagram showing the data structure of ES addressinformation associated with a sub picture stream in the TS object shownin FIG. 19;

FIG. 21 is a conceptual diagram showing the contents of the SP data, theSP control information, and the structural information, associated witha second obtaining method of obtaining the SP data and the SP controlinformation in the embodiment;

FIG. 22 is a conceptual diagram showing an obtaining procedure in thesecond obtaining method;

FIG. 23 is a conceptual diagram showing the data structure of the ESaddress information associated with the sub picture stream in the TSobject shown in FIG. 22;

FIG. 24 is a conceptual diagram showing a specific example of thestructural information and the SP control information, associated withthe second obtaining method;

FIG. 25 is a conceptual diagram showing such a form that a new subpicture is formed by operating the SP control information onto the SPdata, to thereby form, in a specific example of reproduction control ofa still picture associated with the embodiment;

FIG. 26 are conceptual diagrams showing such a form that a sub frame iscut out of the SP data, in a specific example of the reproductioncontrol of a still picture;

FIG. 27 is a conceptual diagram showing such a control form that a subframe is cut out of the SP data and is displayed, in a specific exampleof the reproduction control of a still picture;

FIG. 28 are conceptual diagrams showing one specific example in which asub frame is cut out of the SP data and is displayed, in a specificexample of the reproduction control of a still picture;

FIG. 29 are conceptual diagrams showing another specific example inwhich a sub frame is cut out of the SP data and is displayed, in aspecific example of the reproduction control of a still picture;

FIG. 30 is a schematic diagram showing an entire access flow inreproducing, in relation to the logical structure of the optical disc inthe embodiment;

FIG. 31 is a schematic diagram showing one specific example of the datastructure of a disc information file in one specific example of theembodiment;

FIG. 32 is a schematic diagram showing one specific example of the datastructure of a title information table included in the disc informationfile in one specific example of the embodiment;

FIG. 33 is a schematic diagram showing one specific example of the datastructure of a play list information table constructed in a play listinformation file in one specific example of the embodiment; and

FIG. 34 is a schematic diagram showing one specific example of the datastructures of an AU table constructed in an object information file andan ES map table related to the AU table in one specific example of theembodiment.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

(Information Recording Medium)

The embodiment of an information recording medium of the presentinvention will be explained with reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 7. In thisembodiment, the information recording medium of the present invention isapplied to an optical disc of a type capable of recording (writing) andreproducing (reading).

Firstly, the basic structure of the optical disc in the embodiment willbe explained with reference to FIG. 1. The upper part of FIG. 1 is aschematic plan view of the optical disc structure having a plurality ofareas, and the bottom part is a schematic diagram of the area structurein its radial direction As shown in FIG. 1, an optical disc 100 isrecordable in various recoding methods, such as a magnet-optical methodand a phase transition method, onto which it is possible to record(write) information a plurality of times or only once. It is providedwith a lead-in area 104, a data record area 106, and a lead-out area 108on a recording surface on the disc main body, which is about 12 cm indiameter, as is the DVD, with a center hole 102 as the center, in thedirection from the inner circumference to the outer circumference. Ineach area, groove tracks and land tracks are alternately placed spirallyor coaxially with the center hole 102 as the center, for example. Thesegroove tracks may be wobbled, and pre-pits may be formed on either orboth of the tracks. Incidentally, the present invention is not speciallylimited to an optical disc having these three areas.

Secondly, the structure of a transport stream (TS) recorded on theoptical disc of the present invention will be explained with referenceto FIG. 2. FIG. 2( a) schematically shows the structure of aconventional program stream of the MPEG 2 in the conventional DVD, as acomparison. FIG. 2( b) schematically shows the structure of thetransport stream (TS) of the MPEG 2.

In FIG. 2( a), one program stream includes (i) only one video stream forvideo data as being the video information, and further (ii) at most 8audio streams for audio data as being the audio information, and also(iii) at most 32 sub picture streams for sub picture data as being thesub picture information, along a time axis t. Namely, the video datamultiplexed at an arbitrary time point tx is related to only the onevideo stream. For example, a plurality of video streams corresponding toa plurality of TV shows or movies cannot be included in the programstream at the same time. In order to multiplex the TV show and the likeaccompanying pictures and transmit or record them, at least one videostream is required for each TV show and the like, so that the programstream format in which only one video stream exists cannot allow theplurality of TV shows and the like to be transmitted or recorded aftermultiplexing them.

In FIG. 2( b), one transport stream (TS) includes (i) a plurality ofvideo streams, as an elementary stream (ES) for the video data as beingthe video information, and further (ii) a plurality of audio streams, asan elementary stream (ES) for the audio data as being the audioinformation, and also (iii) a plurality of sub picture streams, as anelementary stream (ES) for the sub picture data as being the sub pictureinformation. Namely, the video data multiplexed at an arbitrary timepoint tx is related to the plurality of video streams. For example, theplurality of video streams corresponding to a plurality of TV shows ormovies can be included in the transport stream at the same time. Asdescribed above, the transport stream format in which there are theplurality of video streams can allow the plurality of TV shows and thelike to be transmitted or recorded after multiplexing them. However,digital broadcasting that employs an existing transport stream does nottransmit the sub picture stream.

Incidentally, in FIG. 2( a) and FIG. 2( b), the video stream, the audiostream, and the sub picture stream are arranged in this order from up todown for explanatory convenience; however, this order is not intended tocorrespond to an order of multiplexing them by a unit of packet, asdescribed later, or the like. In the transport stream, one combination,which is one video stream, two audio streams, and two sub picturestreams, conceptually corresponds to one show, for example.

The optical disc 100 in the embodiment described above is constructed tomultiplex-and-record onto it the transport stream (TS) including aplurality of elementary streams (ES) in the above manner, tosimultaneously record onto it the plurality of shows or programs.

Next, a data structure recorded on the optical disc 100 will beexplained with reference to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. FIG. 3 schematicallyshows the data structure recorded on the optical disc 100. FIG. 4schematically shows details of the data structure in each object shownin FIG. 3.

In the explanation below, a “title” is a reproduction unit sequentiallyexecuting a plurality of “play lists”, and is a logically large groupedunit, such as one movie and one TV show. The “play list” is a file forstoring information necessary for the reproduction of an “object”, andis provided with a plurality of “Items”, each of which storesinformation about the reproduction range of the object to access theobject. More specifically, “IN point information” indicating a startaddress of the object and “OUT point information” indicating an endaddress of the object are written in each Item. Incidentally, these “INpoint information” and “OUT point information” may show the addressesdirectly, or show the addresses indirectly by showing a time length or atime point on a reproduction time axis. The “object” is the entityinformation of a content constituting the transport stream of the MPEG 2described above.

In FIG. 3, the optical disc 100 is provided with the following fourfiles as a logical structure: a disc information file 110, a play (P)list information file 120, an object information file 130, and an objectdata file 140. It is further provided with a file system 105 to managethose files. Incidentally, FIG. 3 does not directly show the physicaldata alignment on the optical disc 100, but it is possible to recordwith the arrangement order shown in FIG. 3 corresponding to thearrangement order shown in FIG. 1. Namely, it is possible to record thefile system 105 or the like in the lead-in area 104, and then in thedata record area 106, and further it is also possible to record theobject data file 140 or the like in the data record area 106. Even ifthe lead-in area 104 and/or the lead-out area 108 shown in FIG. 1 do noexist, the file structure shown in FIG. 3 can be constructed.

The disc information file 110 is a file for storing comprehensiveinformation about the whole optical disc 100, and it stores disccomprehensive information 112, a title information table 114, and otherinformation 118. The disc comprehensive information 112 stores the totalnumber of titles and the like in the optical disc 100, for example. Thetitle information table 114 stores, for each title, each title type(e.g. a sequential reproduction type, a branch type, and the like) and aplay (P) list number, which constitutes each title, as logicalinformation.

The play list information file 120 stores a play (P) list informationtable 121, which indicates the logical construction of each play list,and this is separated into play (P) list comprehensive information 122,a play (P) list pointer 124, a plurality of play (P) lists 126 (P lists#1 to #n), and other information 128. This play list information table121 stores the logical information of each play list 126 in the order ofthe play list number. In other words, the storing order of each playlist 126 is the play list number. Moreover, it is also possible to referto the same play list 126 from a plurality of titles at the abovedescribed title information table 114. Namely, even in the case where atitle #n and a title #m use the same play list #p, it is possible toconstruct such that the play list #p in the play list information table121 is pointed at the title information table 114.

The object information file 130 stores various attribute informationabout the storing position in the object data file 140 for each Itemconstituted in each play list 126 (i.e. a logical address that is areproduction object) and about the reproduction of the Item. Especially,in this embodiment, the object information file 130 stores an AU(Associate Unit) table 131 including a plurality of AU information 132I(AU #1 to AU #n), as described later in detail, an ES (ElementaryStream) map table 134, and other information 138.

The object data file 140 stores a plurality of TS objects 142 (TS #1object to TS #n object) for each transport streams (TS). Namely, itstores a plurality of entity data of the contents to be actuallyreproduced.

Incidentally, the four files explained with reference to FIG. 3 may bestored with each of them being separated into a plurality of files, andall of them may be managed or administered by the file system 105. Forexample, the object data file 140 can be separated into a plurality ofdata files, such as an object data file #1, an object data file #2, . .. and the like.

As shown in FIG. 4, the TS object 142 shown in FIG. 3, which is alogically reproducible unit, is divided into a plurality of alignedunits 143, each of which has 6 kB data amount, for example. The head ofthe aligned units 143 corresponds to (or is “aligned” with) the head ofthe TS object 142. Each aligned unit 143 is further segmentized into aplurality of source packets 144, each of which has 192 B data amount.The source packet 144 is a physically reproducible unit, and by usingthis unit, i.e. by a unit of packet, at least the video data, the audiodata, and the sub picture data are multiplexed among the data on theoptical disc 100. The other information may be also multiplexed in thismanner. Each source packet 144 includes: control information 145, whichhas 4 B data amount, for controlling the reproduction, such as a packetarrival time stamp indicating a reproduction start time point of the TS(transport stream) packet on a reproduction time axis etc.; and a TSpacket 146, which has 188 B data amount. The TS packet 146 has a packetheader 146 a at the head portion thereof and has a packet payload as asubstantial data or entity data following the packet header 146 a. Thevideo data is packetized to be a “video packet”, the audio data ispacketized to be an “audio packet”, the sub picture data is packetizedto be a “sub picture packet”, or the other data is packetized.

Next, with reference to FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, it will be explained themultiple record of the video data, the audio data, the sub picture data,and the like, which are in the transport stream format as shown in FIG.2( b), on the optical disc 100 by the TS packet 146 shown in FIG. 4.FIG. 5 schematically shows that an elementary stream (ES) for a program#1 (PG 1) at the upper level in the figure and an elementary stream (ES)for a program #2 (PG 2) at the middle level in the figure aremultiplexed, constituting a transport stream (TS) for these two programs(PG 1 & PG 2) at the lower level in the figure, with the horizontal axisas a time axis. FIG. 6 schematically shows the image of TS packetsmultiplexed in one transport stream (TS) as a packet alignment alongtime.

As shown in FIG. 5, the TS packets 146 with the video data for theprogram #1 packetized are discretely arranged with respect to the timeaxis in the elementary stream for the program #1 (the upper one), forexample. The TS packets 146 with the video data for the program #2packetized are discretely arranged with respect to the time axis in theelementary stream for the program #2 (the middle one), for example.Then, these TS packets 146 are multiplexed, constructing the transportstream (the lower one) for those two programs. Incidentally, this isomitted in FIG. 5 for explanatory convenience, but in fact, theelementary stream provided with the TS packets in which the audio datais packetized and the sub picture stream provided with the TS packets inwhich the sub picture data is packetized may be multiplexed as theelementary stream for the program #1 in the same manner as shown in FIG.2( b). Moreover, in addition to these, the elementary stream providedwith the TS packets in which the audio data is packetized and the subpicture stream provided with the TS packets in which the sub picturedata is packetized may be multiplexed as the elementary stream for theprogram #2 in the same manner.

As shown in FIG. 6, in this embodiment, one TS stream is constructed ofmany TS packets 146 multiplexed as described above. Then, the many TSpackets 146 in this multiplexed form obtain the information 145 such asthe packet arrival time stamp and are multiplexed-and-recorded on theoptical disc 100. Incidentally, “Element (i0j)” is used in FIG. 6 forthe TS packet 146 comprising data which constitutes the program #i (i=1,2, 3), with j (j=1, 2, . . . ) as a number indicating the order for eachstream which constitutes the program. This (i0 j) is a packet ID, whichis the identification number of the TS packet 146 for each elementarystream. A specific value is given to this packet ID between theplurality of TS packets 146 multiplexed at the same time point so thatthe plurality of TS packets 146 can be mutually distinguished even ifthey are multiplexed at the same time point.

In FIG. 6, a PAT (Program Associate Table) and a PMT (Program Map Table)are also packetized by a unit of the TS packet 146 and are multiplexed.Among them, the PAT stores a table indicating a plurality of PMT packetIDs. Especially, with regard to the PAT, the MPEG 2 standard defines theaddition of (000), as shown in FIG. 6, as a predetermined packet ID.Namely, it is constructed such that the TS packet 146 in which the PATis packetized is detected as the TS packet 146 with its packet ID (000)from among many packets multiplexed at the same time point. The PMTstores a table indicating the packet ID for each elementary streamconstituting each program with respect to one or a plurality ofprograms. To the PMT, an arbitrary packet ID may be added, but thepacket ID of the PMT is indicated by the PAT detectable having thepacket ID as (000), as described above. Therefore, the TS packets 146 ineach of which the PMT is packetized (i.e. the TS packets 146 with thepacket IDs (100), (200), and (300) added in FIG. 6) are detected byvirtue of the PAT from among many packets multiplexed at the same timepoint.

In the case where the transport stream is digital-transmitted as shownin FIG. 6, the tuner can pick up the packets corresponding to thedesired elementary stream from among the multiplexed packets byreferring to the PAT and the PMT as constructed above, and demodulatethem.

In this embodiment, the TS packet 146 stored in the TS object 142 shownin FIG. 4 includes these PAT and PMT packets. Namely, when the transportstream shown in FIG. 6 is transmitted, it can be recorded onto theoptical disc 100 as it is, which is a great advantage.

Moreover, in this embodiment, the PAT and PMT as recorded above are notreferred to when reproducing the optical disc 100. Instead, referring tothe AU table 131 and the ES map table 134, as shown in FIG. 3 and asdescribed later in detail, allows more effective reproduction, and alsoenables complicate multi-vision reproduction and the like to be treatedwith. On that account, in this embodiment, the correspondingrelationship between the elementary stream and the packet, which areobtained by referring to the PAT and the PMT when demodulating andrecording, is stored in the object information file 130 in the form ofthe AU table 131 and the ES map table 134 without packetizing normultiplexing.

Next, the logical construction of the data on the optical disc 100 willbe explained with reference to FIG. 7. FIG. 7 schematically shows thelogical construction of the data on the optical disc 100, focusing onthe development of a logical hierarchy to an object hierarchy or anentity hierarchy.

In FIG. 7, the optical disc 100 records one or a plurality of titles200, each of which is a logically large unit, such as one movie or oneTV show. Each title 200 is logically constructed of one or a pluralityof play lists 126. In each title 200, the plurality of play lists 126may have a sequential structure or a branch structure.

Incidentally, in the case of a simple logical construction, one title200 is constructed of one play list 126. Moreover, one play list 126 canbe referred to from the plurality of titles 200.

Each play list 126 is logically constructed of a plurality of Items(i.e., the play items) 204. In each play list 126, the plurality ofItems 204 may have the sequential structure or the branch structure.Moreover, one Item 204 can be referred to from the plurality of playlists 126. The reproduction range of the TS object 142 is logicallyspecified by the above described IN point information and OUT pointinformation written in the Item 204. Then, by referring to objectinformation 130 d with respect to the reproduction range logicallyspecified, the reproduction range of the TS object 142 is physicallyspecified via the file system in the end. Here, the object information130 d includes various information to reproduce the TS object 142, suchas the attribute information of the TS object 142 and ES addressinformation 134 d required for a data search in the TS object 142(incidentally, the ES map table 134 shown in FIG. 3 includes a pluralityof such ES address information 134 d).

When reproducing the TS object 142 by an informationrecording/reproducing apparatus, which will be described later, aphysical address to be reproduced in the TS object 142 is obtained fromthe Item 204 and the object information 130 d, and the desiredelementary stream is reproduced.

In this embodiment, as described above, the association from the logicalhierarchy to the object hierarchy of the reproduction sequence is madeby the IN point information and the OUT point information described inthe Item 204 and by the ES address information 134 d described in the ESmap table 134 (refer to FIG. 3) of the object information 130 d, whichenables the elementary stream to be reproduced.

As described above in detail, in the embodiment, the multiplexing andrecording is performed on the optical disc 100 by a unit of the TSpacket 146, and because of this, it is possible to multiplex-and-recordonto the optical disc 100 the transport stream including many elementarystreams as shown in FIG. 2( b). According to this embodiment, in thecase of recording digital broadcasting onto the optical disc 100, aplurality of shows or programs can be recorded at the same time withinthe limit of the record rate. Here, it employs a method of multiplexingthe plurality of shows or programs and recording them into one TS object142. The embodiment of an information recording/reproducing apparatusexecutable this kind of record processing will be explained hereinafter.

(Information Recording/Reproducing Apparatus)

Next, the embodiment of the information recording/reproducing apparatusof the present invention will be explained with reference to FIG. 8 toFIG. 13. FIG. 8 is a block diagram of the informationrecording/reproducing apparatus, and FIG. 9 to FIG. 13 are flow chartsshowing its operation.

In FIG. 8, an information recording/reproducing apparatus 500 isclassified broadly into a reproduction system and a record system, canrecord information onto the optical disc 100 described above, and canreproduce the information recorded on this. In this embodiment, theinformation recording/reproducing apparatus 500 is for recording andreproducing as described above, but it is possible to construct anembodiment of the recording apparatus of the present invention from therecord system part of the information recording/reproducing apparatus500. On the other hand, it is possible to construct an embodiment of thereproducing apparatus of the present invention from the reproductionsystem part of the information recording/reproducing apparatus 500.

The information recording/reproducing apparatus 500 is provided with: anoptical pickup 502; a servo unit 503; a spindle motor 504; a demodulator506; a demultiplexer 508; a video decoder 511; an audio decoder 512; asub picture decoder 513; an adder 514; a system controller 520; a memory530; a memory 540; a modulator 606; a formatter 608; a TS objectgenerator 610; a video encoder 611; an audio encoder 612; and a subpicture encoder 613. The system controller 520 is provided with a filesystem/logical structure data generator 521; and a file system/logicalstructure data interpret device 522. Moreover, the memory 530 and a userinterface 720 for the user input of the title information and the likeare connected to the system controller 520.

Among these constitutional elements, the demodulator 506, thedemultiplexer 508, the video decoder 511, the audio decoder 512, the subpicture decoder 513, the adder 514, and the memory 540 constitute thereproduction system, mostly. On the other hand, among theseconstitutional elements, the modulator 606, the formatter 608, the TSobject generator 610, the video encoder 611, the audio encoder 612, andthe sub picture encoder 613 constitute the record system, mostly. Theoptical pickup 502, the servo unit 503, the spindle motor 504, thesystem controller 520, the memory 530, and the user interface 720 forthe user input of the title information and the like are shared for boththe reproduction system and the record system, mostly. Moreover, a TSobject data source 700, a video data source 711, an audio data source712, and a sub picture source 713 are prepared for the record system.The file system/logical structure data generator 521 installed in thesystem controller 520 is mainly used in the record system, and the filesystem/logical structure data interpret device 522 is mainly used in thereproduction system.

The optical pickup 502 irradiates a light beam LB, such as a laser beam,onto the optical disc 100 with a first power as a reading light whenreproducing, and with a second power as a writing light when recordingwhile modulating it. The servo unit 503 is controlled by a controlsignal Sc1 outputted from the system controller 520 when reproducing andrecording, and it performs a focus servo, a tracking servo, and the likeat the optical pickup 502, as well as performing a spindle servo at thespindle motor 504. The spindle motor 504 is constructed to spin theoptical disc 100 at a predetermined speed while receiving the spindleservo by the servo unit 503.

(i) Structure and Operation in Record System

Next, the specific structure and operation of each constitutionalelement constituting the record system in the informationrecording/reproducing apparatus 500 will be explained case by case, withreference to FIG. 8 to FIG. 12.

(i-1) The Case of Using the Already Prepared TS Object:

This case will be explained with reference to FIG. 8 and FIG. 9.

In FIG. 8, the TS object data source 700 is provided with a recordstorage, such as a video tape and a memory, and it stores TS object dataD1.

In FIG. 9, firstly, the information about each title (e.g. the structurecontent of a program list and the like) logically constructed on theoptical disc 100 using the TS object data D1 is inputted from the userinterface 720 to the system controller 520, as a user input I2 of thetitle information and the like. Then, the system controller 520 takes inthe user input I2 of the title information and the like obtained fromthe user interface 720 (step S21: Yes and step S22). In this case, theuser interface 720 is controlled by a control signal Sc4 from the systemcontroller 520, and it can perform input processing according to thecontent to be recorded, such as choosing through a title menu screen.Incidentally, in the case where the user input has been alreadyperformed or the like (step S21: No), this processing is omitted.

Then, the TS object data source 700 is controlled by a control signalSc8 giving an instruction for reading out the data from the systemcontroller 520, and outputs the TS object data D1. Then, the systemcontroller 520 takes in the TS object data D1 from the TS object source700 (step S23), and performs the analysis of the data array of the TSobject data D1 (e.g. a record data length and the like), the analysis ofeach elementary stream structure (e.g. understanding of ES_PID(Elementary Stream•Packet Identification number) as described later),and the like, by virtue of a TS analysis function of the filesystem/logical structure data generator 521, for example, on the basisof the PAT, the PMT, and the like packetized as well as the video dataand the like as described above (step S24).

Then, the system controller 520 prepares the disc information file 110,the play list information file 120, the object information file 130, andthe file system 105 (refer to FIG. 3), as logical information file dataD4, by virtue of the file system/logical structure data generator 521,from the user input I2 of the taken-in title information and the likeand from the analysis results of the data array of the TS object data D1and each elementary stream (step S25). The memory 530 is used whenpreparing the logical information file data D4 described above.

Incidentally, such a variation that the data about the data array of theTS object data D1, the data about the construction information of eachelementary stream, and the like are prepared in advance, is apparentlyand variously conceivable. Such a variation is also within the scope ofthe embodiment.

In FIG. 8, the formatter 608 is a device for performing a data arrayformat to store onto the optical disc 100 the TS object data D1 and thelogical information file data D4. More specifically, the formatter 608is provided with a switch Sw1 and a switch Sw2 and isswitching-controlled by a switch control signal Sc5 from the systemcontroller 520. When formatting the TS object data D1, it connects theswitch Sw1 to a {circle around (1)} side and the switch Sw2 to the{circle around (1)} side so as to output the TS object data D1 from theTS object data source 700. Incidentally, the transmission control of theTS object data D1 is performed by the control signal Sc8 from the systemcontroller 520. On the other hand, when formatting the logicalinformation file data D4, the formatter 608 is switching-controlled bythe switch control signal Sc5 from the system controller 520, andconnects the switch Sw2 to a {circle around (2)} side so as output thelogical information file data D4.

In a step S26 in FIG. 9, (i) the logical information file data D4 fromthe file system/logical structure data generator 521 in the step S25 or(ii) the TS object data D1 from the TS object data source 700 isoutputted through the formatter 608 by the switching-control by theformatter 608 as constructed above (step S26).

The selection output from the formatter 608 is transmitted to themodulator 606 as disc image data D5, is modulated by the modulator 606,and is recorded onto the optical disc 100 through the optical pickup 502(step S27). The system controller 520 also executes the disc recordcontrol in this case.

Then, if both the logical information file data D4 generated in the stepS25 and the corresponding TS object data D2 have not been completelyrecorded yet, the operational flow returns to the step S26, continuingto the record (step S28: No). Incidentally, there is no preference inthe record order of the logical information file data D4 and thecorresponding TS object data D2.

On the other hand, if the both have been already recorded, it is judgedwhether or not the record on the optical disc 100 is supposed to beended, on the basis of the presence or absence of an end command (stepS29). If not supposed to be ended (step S29: No), the operational flowreturns to the step S21, continuing the record processing. On the otherhand, if supposed to be ended (step S29: Yes), a series of recordprocessing ends.

As described above, the information recording/reproducing apparatus 500performs the record processing in the case of using the already preparedTS object.

Incidentally, the example in FIG. 9 shows that the logical informationfile data D4 and the corresponding TS object data D2 are outputted inthe step S26, after preparing the logical information file data D4 inthe step S25. However, it is also possible to execute the output of theTS object data D2 and/or the record of the TS object data D2 onto theoptical disc 100 before the step S25, and after or in parallel with thisrecording, it is possible to generate and record the logical informationfile data D4.

(i-2) The Case of Receiving and Recording the Transport Stream on Air

This case will be explained with reference to FIG. 8 and FIG. 10.Incidentally, in FIG. 10, the same steps as those in FIG. 9 have thesame step reference numbers, and their explanation will be omitted asoccasion demands.

Again, in this case, the similar processing is performed, as is “thecase of using the already prepared TS object” described above.Therefore, focusing on the differences from this case, the explanationwill be done hereinafter.

In the case of receiving and recording the transport stream on air, orthe transport stream being broadcasted, the TS object data source 700 isprovided with a receiver (set top box) for receiving the digitalbroadcast on air, for example, receives the TS object data D1, andtransmits it to the formatter 608 in real time (step S41). At the sametime, reception information D3 (i.e. information corresponding to thedata transmitted through the receiver and the interface of the systemcontroller 520) including the program construction information and theES_PID information, as described later, which are deciphered uponreceiving is taken into the system controller 520 and is stored into thememory 530 (step S44).

In the meantime, the TS object data D1 outputted to the formatter 608 isoutputted to the modulator 606 by the switching-control of the formatter608 (step S42), and is recorded onto the optical disc 100 (step S43).

Along with these operations, using the program construction informationand the ES_PID information included in the reception information D3taken-inupon receiving and stored in the memory 530, the filesystem/logical structure data generator 521 prepares the logicalinformation file data D4 (step S24 and step S25). Then, after completingthe record of a series of the TS object data D1, this logicalinformation file data D4 is additionally recorded onto the optical disc100 (step S46 and step S47). Incidentally, these step S24 and step S25may be performed after the step S43.

Moreover, as the occasion demands (e.g. in the case of editing oneportion of the title, or the like), by adding the user input I2 of thetitle information and the like from the user interface 720 to theprogram construction information and the ES_PID information stored inthe memory 530, it is possible to prepare the logical information filedata D4 by the system controller 520 and additionally record this ontothe optical disc 100.

As described above, the information recording/reproducing apparatus 500performs the record processing in the case of receiving the transportstream on air and recording it in real time.

Incidentally, if all the reception data obtained when broadcasting isonce stored into an archive apparatus, and then, if this is used as theTS object source 700, the same processing as that in “the case of usingthe already prepared TS object” will do.

(i-3) The Case of Recording the Video Data, the Audio Data, and the SubPicture Data

This case will be explained with reference to FIG. 8 and FIG. 11.Incidentally, in FIG. 11, the same steps as those in FIG. 9 have thesame step reference numbers, and their explanation will be omitted asoccasion demands.

In the case of recording the video data, the audio data, and the subpicture data, which are individually prepared in advance, the video datasource 711, the audio data source 712, and the sub picture data source713 are individually provided with the record storage, such as a videotape and a memory, and store a video data DV, an audio data DA, and asub picture data DS, respectively.

These data sources are controlled by the control signal Sc8 giving aninstruction for reading out the data from the system controller 520, andthey transmit the video data DV, the audio data DA, and the sub picturedata DS, to the video encoder 611, the audio encoder 612, and the subpicture encoder 613, respectively (step S61). Then, the video encoder611, the audio encoder 612, and the sub picture encoder 613 execute apredetermined type of encode processing (step S62).

The TS object generator 610 is controlled by a control signal Sc6 fromthe system controller 520 and converts the data encoded in this mannerto the TS object data constituting the transport stream (step S63). Inthis case, the data array information of each TS object data (e.g. arecord data length and the like) and the construction information ofeach elementary stream (e.g. the ES_PID, as described later, and thelike) are transmitted from the TS object generator 610 as information I6to the system controller 520 and are stored into the memory 530 (stepS66).

On the other hand, the TS object data generated by the TS objectgenerator 610 is transmitted to the {circle around (2)} side of theswitch Sw1 of the formatter 608. Namely, when formatting the TS objectdata from the TS object generator 610, the formatter 608 isswitching-controlled by the switch control signal Sc5 from the systemcontroller 520 to change the switch Sw1 to the {circle around (2)} sideand the switch Sw2 to the {circle around (1)} side, thereby outputtingthe TS object data (step S64). Then, this TS object data is recordedonto the optical disc 100 through the modulator 606 (step S65).

Along with these operations, using the data array information of each TSobject data and the construction information of each elementary streamtaken into the memory 530 as the information I6, the file system/logicalstructure data generator 521 prepares the logical information file dataD4 (step S24 and step S25). Then, after completing the record of aseries of the TS object data D2, this is additionally recorded onto theoptical disc 100 (step S67 and step S68). Incidentally, the step S24 andthe step S25 may be processed after the step S65.

Moreover, as the occasion demands (e.g. in the case of editing oneportion of the title), by adding the user input I2 such as the titleinformation and the like form the user interface 720 onto theseinformation stored in the memory 530, it is possible to prepare thelogical information file data D4 with the file system/logical structuregenerator 521 and additionally record this onto the optical disc 100.

As described above, the information recording/reproducing apparatus 500performs the record processing in the case of the recording the videodata, the audio data, and the sub picture data, which are individuallyprepared in advance.

Incidentally, this record processing is applicable even when recordingan arbitrary content the user has.

(i-4) The Case of Recording the Data by Authoring

This case will be explained with reference to FIG. 8 and FIG. 12.Incidentally, in FIG. 12, the same steps as those in FIG. 9 have thesame step reference numbers, and their explanation will be omitted asoccasion demands.

In this case, by combining the above described three types of recordprocessing in the three cases, an authoring system generates the TSobject, the logical information file data, and the like in advance (stepS81), and then completes the processing of switching-control performedat the formatter 608 (step S82). Then, the information obtained by thisoperation is transmitted to the modulator 606 equipped in front ofand/or behind an original disc cutting machine, as the disc image dataD5 (step S83), and this cutting machine prepares the original disc (stepS84).

Particularly in the embodiment, in any cases of the above-explained(i-1) to (i-4) in the (i) Structure and Operation in Record System, thestill picture information and the data associated with the controlinformation (e.g. SP data, SP control information, their structuralinformation or header, etc., which will be described later) aremultiplexed and recorded onto the optical disc 100, in such a mannerthat they are included in the sub picture data. Moreover, the dataassociated with the control information of a still picture (a SP dataidentification flag, a SCP identification flag, or the like) isgenerated in the step S25 of generating the logical information filedata or the like, and it is recorded through the formatter 608 into oneportion of the object information file 130 (refer to FIG. 3) or thelike, in such a form that it is associated with the still pictureinformation (e.g. in a table form in which the data is associated byusing an “entry section” described later).

(ii) Structure and Operation in Reproduction System

Next, the specific structure and operation of each constitutionalelement constituting the reproduction system in the informationrecording/reproducing apparatus 500 will be explained with reference toFIG. 8 and FIG. 13.

In FIG. 8, the user interface 720 inputs the title to be reproduced, itsreproduction condition, and the like to the system controller 520 as theuser input I2 of the title information and the like. In this case, theuser interface 720 is controlled by the control signal Sc4 from thesystem controller 520, and it can perform the input processing accordingto the content to be reproduced, such as choosing through a title menuscreen.

Responding to this, the system controller 520 controls the discreproduction with respect to the optical disc 100, and the opticalpickup 502 transmits a reading signal S7 to the demodulator 506.

The demodulator 506 demodulates a recorded signal recorded on theoptical disc 100 from this reading signal S7, and outputs it asdemodulated data D8. The logical information file data (i.e. the filesystem 105, the disc information file 110, the P list information file120, and the object information file 130, shown in FIG. 3) included inthis demodulated data D8 as being a not-multiplexed information part issupplied to the system controller 520. On the basis of this logicalinformation file data, the system controller 520 executes variousreproduction control, such as processing of determining a reproductionaddress and controlling the optical pickup 502.

On the other hand, as for the TS object data included in the demodulateddata D8 as being a multiplexed information part, the demultiplxer 508 iscontrolled by a control signal Sc2 from the system controller 520 todemultiplex the TS object data. Here, the control signal Sc2 istransmitted so as to start demultiplexing when completing an access to areproduction position address by the reproduction control of the systemcontroller 520.

The demultiplexer 508 transmits and supplies the video packet, the audiopacket, and the sub picture packet, to the video decoder 511, the audiodecoder 512, and the sub picture decoder 513, respectively. Then, thevideo data DV, the audio data DA, and the sub picture data DS arerespectively decoded. Incidentally, the packets included in thetransport stream, in each of which the PAT or the PMT is packetized asshown in FIG. 6, are respectively included as a part of the demodulateddata D8; however, they are discarded or abandoned at the demultiplexer508.

The adder 514 is controlled by a control signal Sc3 giving aninstruction of the mixing from the system controller 520, and mixes orsuperimposes in a predetermined timing the video data DV and the subpicture data DS, which are respectively decoded at the vide decoder 511and the sub picture decoder 513. The result is outputted as a videooutput from the information recording/reproducing apparatus 500 to a TVmonitor, for example.

On the other hand, the audio data DA decoded at the audio decoder 512 isoutputted as an audio output from the information recording/reproducingapparatus 500 to an external speaker, for example.

Here, the specific example of a reproduction processing routine by thesystem controller 520 will be explained with reference to FIG. 13.

In FIG. 13, assume that as an initial condition, the recognition of theoptical disc 100 in the reproduction system and the recognition of avolume structure and a file structure by the file system 105 (refer toFIG. 3) have been already completed by the system controller 520 and thefile system/logical structure data interpret device 522 inside thesystem controller 520. Here, it will be explained the operational flowafter obtaining the total number of the total titles from the disccomprehensive information 112 in the disc information file 110 and thenchoosing or selecting one title from among them.

Firstly, the choice or selection of the title is performed at the userinterface 720 (step S11), and the system controller 520 obtains theinformation about the reproduction sequence from a reading result of thefile system/logical structure data interpret device 522. Morespecifically, the processing of the logical hierarchy (i.e. obtainingthe information for indicating a play list structure and the informationabout each of the Items constituting the play list structure (refer toFIG. 7)) is performed (step S12). By this, a reproduction object isdetermined (step S13).

Then, the object information file 130 related to the TS object as beingthe reproduction object is obtained. Especially in the embodiment, theAU information 132I and PU (Presentation Unit) information 302I, whichwill be described later (refer to FIG. 34 described later), are alsoobtained as the information stored in the object information file 130(step S14). These obtained information allow the association orcorrelation of the above described logical hierarchy and the objecthierarchy (refer to FIG. 7).

Then, on the basis of the information obtained in the step S14, theobject to be reproduced and the reproduction address are determined(step S15), and then the processing of the object hierarchy is started;namely, the actual reproduction is started (step S16).

While reproducing, it is monitored whether or not the command-input of a“scene change” corresponding to the change of the PU 302 in the AU 132based on the PU information 302I and the AU information. 132I, asdescribed later is performed (step S17). If the “scene change” iscommand-inputted (step S17: Yes), the operational flow returns to thestep S15, and the processes from the step S15 to the step S17 arerepeatedly executed. On the other hand, if the “scene change” is notcommand-inputted (step S17: No), the presence or the absence of thecommand input indicative of ending the reproduction processing is judged(step S18). If there is not the command input indicating of ending (stepS18: No), the operational flow returns to the step S11, and theprocesses inform the step S11 to the step S18 are repeatedly executed.On the other hand, if there is the command input indicative of ending(step S18: Yes), a series of the reproduction processing ends.

Particularly in the embodiment, in FIG. 8 and in the step S16 in FIG.13, the sub picture data decoded by the sub picture decoder 513 istemporarily stored in the memory 540 which functions as a buffer. Then,as explained below, at least one of the SP control information (StillPicture control data) and the SP data (Still Picture data) included inthe temporarily stored sub picture data is controlled by the controlsignal Sc5 from the system controller 520, to be thereby read out. Then,by operating the SP control information onto the SP data, the display ofa still picture is performed as part or all of the video output.

Incidentally, it may be constructed such that the SP control informationis temporarily stored in an exclusive area of the memory 530 (i.e. suchthat only the SP data is temporarily stored in the memory 540).Alternatively, it may be constructed such that such a memory 540 isconstructed by using one portion of the memory 530.

(Obtaining Method of Obtaining SP Data and SP Control Information)

Next, the obtaining method of obtaining the SP data and the SP controlinformation in the embodiment will be explained. This obtaining methodis performed by the above-described information recording/reproducingapparatus 500 (refer to FIG. 8), mainly on the basis of the ES addressinformation in the object information and the SP data and SP controlinformation in the sub picture structure.

(A) First Obtaining Method of Obtaining SP Data and SP ControlInformation

With reference to FIG. 14 to FIG. 20, the first obtaining method ofobtaining the SP data and the SP control information and thereproduction control of a still picture associated with the firstobtaining method will be explained. Here, FIG. 14 shows one example ofthe data structure of the ES address information associated with a videostream constructed in the ES map table in the object information, byusing a table. FIG. 15 schematically shows one example of the positionsof the TS packets registered in the ES address information of the videostream on the TS object with respect to a time axis (in the horizontaldirection in FIG. 15). FIG. 16 shows the contents of the SP data, the SPcontrol information, and structural information, associated with thefirst obtaining method. FIG. 17 schematically show three types of subpicture structures constructed from these three data or information.FIG. 18 schematically shows an arrangement condition of each head packetof an I picture, the SP data, and the SP control information, adopted inthe first obtaining method, on a time axis of the TS object. FIG. 19schematically shows an obtaining procedure in the first obtainingmethod. FIG. 20 shows the data structure of the ES address informationassociated with a sub picture stream in the TS object shown in FIG. 19,by using a table.

The ES (Elementary Stream) address information of the video stream shownin FIG. 14 is written as one portion of the ES address information 134 d(refer to FIG. 7) on the ES map table 134 shown in FIG. 3. Incidentally,the video stream here is regarded as an elementary stream of Index #14shown on an ES map table in FIG. 34 described in detail later.

As shown in FIG. 14, as the content of the ES address information, onlywith respect to packets which satisfy a predetermined condition on thevideo stream, their packet numbers q, r, s, t, u, . . . (e.g. the serialnumber of the packets in the TS object, which will be referred to as a“packet number”, as occasion demands) and the corresponding displaystart time point T14_0, T14_1, T14_2, T14_3, . . . are written.

In the embodiment, as shown in FIG. 15, the packets which satisfy thepredetermined condition are determined to be the head packets of the Ipictures based on the MPEG2 standard, and their packet number and thecorresponding display start time points are written as the ES addressinformation shown in FIG. 14. This is because MPEG decode can be startedif a recording position can be specified by the address information withrespect to the I picture.

Then, in the embodiment, as shown in FIG. 15, with respect to thearrangement of only the packets whose recording positions are specifiedby the ES address information, each section on the TS object specifiedby two adjacent packets is defined as an “entry section”. For example,the section specified by the packet q and the packet r is regarded as anentry section #0. The section specified by the packet r and the packet sis regarded as an entry section #1. With respect to the SP data and theSP control information on the sub picture stream which corresponds tothe video stream (i.e. which is displayed at the same time or inparallel with this) and which is associated with a still picture, theirpresence is written by whether or not they exist in a range of the entrysection defined in this manner. Incidentally, the sub picture streamhere is regarded as an elementary stream of Index #16 shown on the ESmap table in FIG. 34 described in detail later. Thus, index numberinformation 134 e (which is “Index number=14” according to theembodiment) of the elementary stream used as the elementary stream iswritten in the Index #16 shown on the ES map table in FIG. 34 describedin detail later.

As shown in FIG. 16, in the embodiment, the data or informationassociated with the still picture which is recorded onto the sub picturestream includes the following three data or information: (i) SP data 713constituting one example of the still picture information; (ii) SPcontrol information 712 constituting one example of the still picturecontrol information for display-control of the SP data 713; and (iii)structural information (header) 711 which constitutes one sub picturestructure with both or either one of the SP data 713 and SP controlinformation 712, and which is related to the sub picture structure.

As a combination of these three data or information, there are a subpicture structure 701, including all the constituent elements of thestructural information 711, the SP control information 712, and the SPdata 713 shown in FIG. 17( a); a sub picture structure 702, includingthe constituent elements of the structural information 711 and the SPcontrol information 712 shown in FIG. 17( b); and a sub picturestructure 703, including the constituent elements of the structuralinformation 711 and the SP data 713 shown in FIG. 17( c). Incidentally,in the case of the DVD, the type shown in FIG. 17( a) is only defined.

Incidentally, in the embodiment, as described above, various examples ofthe “still picture information set” associated with the presentinvention, are individually constructed from each of the sub picturestructures shown in FIG. 17( a) to FIG. 17( c).

In the embodiment, as shown in FIG. 17( a) to FIG. 17( c), typically,the SP control information 712 and the SP data 713 are divided into theplurality of TS packets 146. The structural information 711 is stored inthe head packet in the sub picture structures 701 to 703, and the headportion of the SP control information 712 following the structuralinformation 711 (in FIG. 17( a) and FIG. 17( b)) or the head portion ofthe SP data 713 are also stored in the head packet in which thestructural information 711 is stored.

In the embodiment, the TS packet 146 in which the head portion of the SPcontrol information 712 in the sub picture structure 702 described aboveis stored is referred to as “SCP”. The TS packet 146 in which the headportion of the SP data 713 in the sub picture structure 703 is stored isreferred to as “SPD”. Moreover, the head packet of the sub picturestructure 701 including the both is referred to, in the correspondingform, as “SCP+SPD”. In the present invention, “the sub picture structureis disposed in or belongs to the entry section” as shown in FIG. 15means that the header including the SCP (i.e. the packet in which thestructural information is stored) is recorded in the entry section, ineach of the sub pictures structure 701 shown in FIG. 17( a) and the subpictures structure 702 shown in FIG. 17( b). In the sub picturestructure 703 shown in FIG. 17( c), it means that the header includingthe SPD is recorded in the entry section.

As shown in FIG. 16, the structural information 711 has a “SP dataidentifier”. In the sub picture structures 701 and 703, the SP dataidentifier identifies the SP data 713 included in the sub picturestructures 701 and 703. On the other hand, in the sub picture structure702, the SP data identifier identifies the SP data 713 on which the SPcontrol information 712 included in the sub picture structure 702operates and which is included in the other sub picture structures.

The structural information 711 further has information for indicating“the data length of the SP control information” and “the data length ofthe SP data”. On the basis of these, in reproducing, it is specifieduntil which packet the sub picture structure 701 continues from the headof the structural information 711. Moreover, on the basis of the datalength of the SP control information, in reproducing, it is specifieduntil which packet the sub picture structure 702 continues from the headof the structural information 711. Furthermore, on the basis of the datalength of the SP data, in reproducing, it is specified until whichpacket the sub picture structure 703 continues from the head of thestructural information 711.

Incidentally, in the sub picture structure 702 not having the SP data713, it is possible to indicate that the sub picture structure 702 doesnot have the SP data 713, by setting “the data length of the SP data” inthe structural information 711 to be “0”. In the same manner, in the subpicture structure 703 not having the SP control information 712, it ispossible to indicate that the sub picture structure 703 does not havethe SP control information 712, by setting “the data length of the SPcontrol information” in the structural information 711 to be “0”.

The structural information 711 further has “Position information of SPdata”. In reproducing, on the basis of this information, the SP data 713on which the SP control information 712 operates is specified. As suchposition information of SP data, an approximate position of the SP datais written by using the entry section shown in FIG. 15. As a result, theSP data 713 can be specified by looking for the SPD in the entrysection. Thus, even in a sub picture structure not having the SP data713, such as the sub picture structure 702, the SP control information712 owned by this sub picture structure can be operated onto thescheduled SP data. As the position information of SP data, the packetnumber of the SPD may be directly written.

Moreover, in the case of the sub picture structure 701 or 703 includingthe SP data 713, the “position information of SP data” owned by thestructural information 711 may be set to be an invalid value. This isbecause in the case of these, the sub picture structure itself has theSP data, so that it is unnecessary to specify the recording position ofthe SP data (i.e. to specify the entry section) (incidentally, all ofthe packets constituting the sub picture structure are specified on thebasis of the data length of the SP data or the like, as describedabove).

The SP control information 712 has information for indicating thedisplay start time point of the SP data on which the SP controlinformation 712 operates and the display time length of the SP data. Bythis, in reproducing, the SP data on which the SP control information712 operates is reproduced only for a scheduled time length on areproduction time axis, and thus the display of the still picture isperformed.

The SP data 713 has image data in a bitmap data format or JPEG formatwhich is Run Length Encoded, for example. For each picture element(pixel), it has 8 bits of color information data and 8 bits oftransparency information data, for example. The SP data indicating onestill picture is packetized and multiplexed to the plurality of TSpackets 146 (refer to FIG. 4).

In the embodiment, as shown in FIG. 14 and FIG. 15, the entry section isexpressed by using the display start time point of the packet number ofthe head packet constituting the entry section. For example, the entrysection #0 of the elementary stream of Index #14 is expressed with “T14_(—)0”. By expressing the entry section with the display start timepoint in this manner, even if a packet or packets is lacked by editingor the like after recording, to thereby cause a missing or shiftednumber in the serial number of the packets, this does not cause amissing or shifting in the display start time point, so that it isunnecessary to update the ES address information or the like as shown inFIG. 14.

Particularly in the embodiment, in order to obtain the SCP and the SPDeasily and quickly, the following condition (hereinafter referred to asa “first arrangement condition”) is set to the packet disposal orarrangement with respect to the entry section defined in this manner.

Namely, as compared to the “display start time point” and the “packetnumber” of an entry point #I, the headers in the sub picture structures701 to 703 including the SP control information 712 (which is assumed tomaintain the display start time point “TT”) are physically arranged asfollows. Incidentally, the entry point indicates the packet whoseposition is specified by the address information.

If “Display start time point of entry point #i” <=TT <“Display starttime point of entry point #i+1”,

“Packet number of entry point #i”<“Packet number of header of subpicture structure including SP control information”<“Packet number ofentry point #i+1”.

In accordance with such a first arrangement condition, it is possible tofind the sub picture structure 702 including the SP control information712 required for the SP data 713 which is started to display, during thereproduction of the entry section, by searching the entry section.

For example, in FIG. 14 and FIG. 15, if the display start time point isequal to or greater than T14_1 and less than T14_2, the packet number ofthe header of the sub picture structure 702 including the SP controlinformation 712 is recorded into the entry section #1. On the otherhand, the SP data can be found from “the recording position of the SPdata” (refer to FIG. 16) owned by the structural information 711 whichconstitutes the header as described above.

In addition to such a first arrangement condition, as shown in FIG. 18,the following condition (hereinafter referred to as a “secondarrangement condition” is also set to the SCP (which is the head packetof the SP control information 712 as described above) in the firstobtaining method.

“Packet number of SCP which operates on the i-th SP data”<“Packet numberof SCP which operates on the i+1-th SP data”

Namely, as shown in FIG. 18, such packet arrangement is not allowed thatthe SP data is controlled beyond the SCPs of other SP controlinformation.

Incidentally, in FIG. 18, a dashed line drawn from the SCP indicatessuch a relationship that the SP control information whose head is theSCP operates on the SP data of the control object.

In the first obtaining method associated with the embodiment, under thefirst arrangement condition or the second arrangement condition, the SPdata and the SP control information are obtained as shown in FIG. 19, byusing the address information as shown in FIG. 20.

FIG. 19 schematically shows each process of reproduction at thecorresponding position on a time axis (an axis extending from left toright in FIG. 19), each process being: at first, display start PTS isgiven as a (0) process; then, the SCP is searched for and read as a (1)process; then, moving to read the SP data as a (2) process; then, the SPdata is read as a (3) process; then, the SP data is further read as a(4) process; and at last, reproduction is started as a (5) process.

Particularly in the first obtaining method, in order to obtain such aseries of SP data and SP control information and perform thereproduction control of the still picture following the obtaining step,the ES address information about the sub picture stream as shown in FIG.20 is written into the ES map table, in such a format that the SP dataand the SP control information correspond to the entry section definedby the video stream shown in FIG. 14, for example.

As shown in FIG. 20, the ES address information about the sub picturestream includes two bits of information: one bit of a SP dataidentification flag for indicating whether or not the SPD exists; andone bit of a SCP identification flag for indicating whether or not theSCP is recorded, in each entry section of the elementary stream shown bythe index number information 134 e (refer to FIG. 34). Incidentally, inFIG. 20, the presence is “1”, and the absence is “0”. In the firstobtaining method, as explained next, if the SCP identification flagshows that the SCP does not exist at the display start time point, it ischecked whether or not it exists at an earlier time point on thereproduction time axis (the left side in FIG. 19).

In FIG. 19, in reproducing, at first, if the display start PTS in anentry section #3 (the (0) process), the SCP identification flag (referto FIG. 20) of the ES address information included in the objectinformation file is referred to, and it is checked whether or not theSCP exists in the entry section #3. In this example, the absence isfound out, so that the SCP identification flag is further referred to,and the other entry sections which are placed at an earlier time on thereproduction time axis are searched to find the one in which the SCPexists. By this, in the example, the SCP to be read at first is foundout to exist in the entry section #1.

Then, in FIG. 19, the SCP data is searched for in the entry section #1in the object data file (the (1) process in FIG. 19). More specifically,at first, the ES address information in FIG. 14 is referred to, andthen, the head packet of the entry section #1 (which is “r” in theexample) is obtained. Then, access to the head packet is performed inthe object data file. Then, the headers (or the structural information711) of the packets on the same sub picture stream which follow the headpacket are sequentially checked, to thereby find out the sub picturestructure 702 including the SCP in the entry section #1.

Then, the “SP data position” (refer to FIG. 16) recorded in the SPcontrol information in the sub picture structure including the obtainedSCP is referred to, to thereby specify the position of the SP data (theentry section) which is the control object of the SP controlinformation. Then, access to the SP data whose position is specified isperformed (the (2) process in FIG. 19). For example, if the displaystart time point T14_0 is written as the position of the SP data (theentry section), at first, the ES address information as shown in FIG. 14is referred to in the object information file, and the packet number “q”is obtained. Namely, in this example, the SPD to be read is found out toexist in the entry section #0. Then, access to the head packet (thepacket number “q”) is performed in the object data file. Then, theheaders (or the structural information 711) of the packets on the samesub picture stream which follow the head packet are sequentiallychecked, to thereby find out the sub picture structure 701 or 703including the SPD (or the sub picture structure 701 shown with“SCP+SPD#1” in FIG. 19) in the entry section #0.

Then, the SP data in the sub picture structure including the obtainedSPD (SCP+SPD) is read (the (3) process in FIG. 19).

Then, the SP data identification flag shown in FIG. 20 is referred toagain, and the presence of such a section is checked that the SP dataidentification flag is “1” from the entry section including the SPDobtained in the (3) process (which is the entry section #0 in this case)to the entry section including the display start time point (which isthe entry section #3 in this case) and that the SPD is included. If suchSPD exists, that means there is the SP data which is possibly displayedafter the display start time point. In this example, such SPD exists inthe entry section #2, so that the sub picture structure including theSPD is accessed, and the SPD is obtained (the (4) process in FIG. 19).

Incidentally, in the present invention, such SP data that is notrequired to be displayed at any display start time point but required tobe read in advance or look ahead to perform the still-picture-displayafter the any display start time point on the reproduction time axisaccurately and without stopping and that is recorded before the anydisplay start time point, is referred to as “look-ahead SP data”.Namely, if the look-ahead SP data is not read before the reproductionstarts, the still-picture-display possibly stops after the displaystarts. After the look-ahead SP data is looked ahead or foreseen, it maynot be actually used for the still-picture-display. Namely, here, ifthere is a possibility to use it for the subsequent display inaccordance with the reproduction condition, it is treated as thelook-ahead SP data, and the process of looking ahead or foreseeing thisdata is performed.

Then, the display control based on the SP control information obtainedby the above processes is performed, and the still-picture reproductioncorresponding to the SP data is started (the (5) process in FIG. 19).For example, on the basis of the display start time point and thedisplay time length (refer to FIG. 16) indicated by the SP controlinformation, the still-picture-display is performed by the sub picturecorresponding to the SP data over a predetermined period.

As described above, by virtue of the series of processes shown in FIG.19, even in the case where the display is started from any display starttime point in the special reproduction, such as time search, chaptersearch, fast-forwarding, and rewinding, a still picture to be originallydisplayed at the display start time point is faithfully displayed.Moreover, the following cases do not occur: namely, the case where thestill picture to be originally displayed at the display start time pointcannot be displayed; and the case where the display of the still pictureis stopped.

As explained with reference to FIG. 14 to FIG. 20, according to thefirst obtaining method of the SP data and the SP control information, itis possible to efficiently specify the recording positions of the SPdata and the SP control information by using the ES address informationhaving an extremely small data amount of 2 bits in total of the two flag(refer to FIG. 20). For example, if the ES address informationassociated with the video stream as shown in FIG. 14 is 32 bits in eachentry section, a small data amount of 1/16 times as large is enough forthe ES address information associated with the sub picture stream asshown in FIG. 20.

(B) Second Obtaining Method of Obtaining SP Data and SP ControlInformation

With reference to FIG. 21 to FIG. 24, FIG. 14, and FIG. 15, the secondobtaining method of obtaining the SP data and the SP control informationand the reproduction control of a still picture associated with thesecond obtaining method will be explained. Here, FIG. 21 shows thecontents of the SP data, the SP control information, and the structuralinformation, associated with the second obtaining method. FIG. 22schematically shows an obtaining procedure in the second obtainingmethod. FIG. 23 shows the data structure of the ES address informationassociated with the sub picture stream shown in FIG. 22 constructed inthe ES map table, by using a table. FIG. 24 shows a specific example ofthe structural information and the SP control information, associatedwith the second obtaining method.

In the above-described first obtaining method, the first and secondarrangement conditions are set, but the second obtaining methoddescribed below is performed without setting the second arrangementcondition explained with reference to FIG. 18 out of the two conditions.Particularly, the SP data identification flag (refer to FIG. 20) in theabove-described first obtaining method is not constructed in the ESaddress information, and only the SCP identification flag is written asthe ES address information for the sub picture stream. Instead of notwriting the SP data identification flag in the ES address information inthe object information file, information for specifying the look-aheadSP data is written in the SP control information in the object datafile.

As shown in FIG. 21, in the embodiment associated with the secondobtaining method, the data or information associated with a stillpicture recorded on the sub picture stream includes the structuralinformation 711, SP control information 712′, and the SP data 713. Outof them, the contents of the structural information 711 and the SP data713 are the same as those associated with the first obtaining methodshown in FIG. 16. By a combination of the three data or information, thethree types of sub picture structures 701 to 703 shown in FIG. 17 areconstructed in the same manner.

The SP control information 712′ associated with the second obtainingmethod has information for indicating the display start time point ofthe SP data on which the SP control information 712′ operates and thedisplay time length of the SP data. By this, in reproducing, the SP dataon which the SP control information 712′ operates is reproduced only fora scheduled time length on the reproduction time axis, and thus thedisplay of the still picture is performed.

Moreover, the SP control information 712′ has the total number of thelook-ahead SP data, an identifier of the look-ahead SP data, and theposition information of the look-ahead SP data (the entry section). The“look-ahead SP data” here is defined on the basis of the recordingposition of the SCP of the SP control information in which its totalnumber or the like is written. The “look-ahead SP data” indicates the SPdata on which such SP control information operates that has the SCPrecorded after the SCP of the SP control information on the reproductiontime axis, and is the SP data which is recorded before the SCP of the SPcontrol information. Therefore, in the explanation associated with thesecond obtaining method below, the SP data which satisfies the aboveconditions is merely referred to as the “look-ahead SP data”.

In the second obtaining method associated with the embodiment, the SPdata and the SP control information are obtained as shown in FIG. 22, byusing the address information as shown in FIG. 23.

FIG. 22 schematically shows each process of reproduction at thecorresponding position on a time axis (an axis extending from left toright in FIG. 19), each process being: at first, display start PTS isgiven as a (0) process; then, the SCP in the forward entry section issearched for and read as a (1) process; then, moving to read the SP dataas a (2) process; then, the SCP in the backward entry section is read asa (3) process; then, the SP data is read as a (4) process; then, thelook-ahead SP data is read as a (5) process; and at last, reproductionis started as a (6) process.

Particularly in the second obtaining method, in order to obtain such SPdata and SP control information and perform the reproduction control ofthe still picture following the obtaining step, the ES addressinformation about the sub picture stream as shown in FIG. 23 is writteninto the ES map table, in such a format that the SP data and the SPcontrol information correspond to the entry section defined by the videostream shown in FIG. 14, for example.

As shown in FIG. 23, the ES address information about the sub picturestream includes one bit of the SCP identification flag for indicatingwhether or not the SCP is recorded, in each entry section. Incidentally,in FIG. 23, the presence is “1”, and the absence is “0”. In the secondobtaining method, as explained next, if the SCP identification flagshows that the SCP does not exist at the display start time point, atfirst, it is checked whether or not the SCP exists at an earlier timepoint on the reproduction time axis, and then it is checked whether ornot the SCP exists at a later time point on the reproduction time axis.

Incidentally, as shown in FIG. 24, as opposed to the sub picturestructure in FIG. 21 including the SP data, the sub picture structurenot having the SP data is constructed from the structural information711 and SP control information 712″. FIG. 24 shows the specific contentof the SP control information 712″ in which SCP #2 a disposed in anentry section #4 is the head packet, as a specific example correspondingto FIG. 22 and FIG. 23.

In FIG. 22, in reproducing, at first, if the display start PTS in theentry section #3 (the (0) process), the SCP identification flag (referto FIG. 23) of the ES address information included in the objectinformation file is referred to, and it is checked whether or not theSCP exists in the entry section #3. In this example, the absence isfound out, so that the SCP identification flag is further referred to,and at first, the other entry sections which are placed at an earliertime on the reproduction time axis are searched to find the one in whichthe SCP exists. By this, in the example, the SCP to be read at first isfound out to exist in the entry section #1.

Then, in FIG. 22, the SCP data is searched for in the entry section #1in the object data file (the (1) process in FIG. 22). More specifically,at first, the ES address information in FIG. 14 is referred to, andthen, the head packet of the entry section #1 (which is “r” in theexample) is obtained. Then, access to the head packet is performed inthe object data file. Then, the headers (or the structural information711) of the packets on the same sub picture stream which follow the headpacket are sequentially checked, to thereby find out the sub picturestructure 702 including the SCP in the entry section #1.

Then, the “SP data position” recorded in the SP control information inthe sub picture structure including the obtained SCP is referred to, tothereby specify the position of the SP data (the entry section) which isthe control object of the SP control information. Then, access to the SPdata whose position is specified is performed (the (2) process in FIG.22). For example, if the display start time point T14_0 is written asthe position of the SP data (the entry section), at first, the ESaddress information as shown in FIG. 14 is referred to in the objectinformation file, and the packet number “q” is obtained. Namely, in thisexample, the SPD to be read is found out to exist in the entry section#0. Then, access to the head packet (the packet number “q”) is performedin the object data file. Then, the headers (or the structuralinformation 711) of the packets on the same sub picture stream whichfollow the head packet are sequentially checked, to thereby find out thesub picture structure 701 or 703 including the SPD (or the sub picturestructure 703 shown with “SCP#1a+SPD#1” in FIG. 22) in the entry section#0.

Then, the SP data in the sub picture structure including the obtainedSPD is read (the (2) process in FIG. 22).

Then, the other entry sections which are placed at a later time on thereproduction time axis are searched to find the one in which the SCPexists. By this, in the example, the SCP to be read at first is foundout to exist in the entry section #4.

In FIG. 22, this time, the SCP data is searched for in the entry section#4 in the object data file (the (3) process in FIG. 22). Morespecifically, at first, the ES address information in FIG. 14 isreferred to, and then, the head packet of the entry section #4 (which is“u” in the example) is obtained. Then, access to the head packet isperformed in the object data file. Then, the headers (or the structuralinformation 711) of the packets on the same sub picture stream whichfollow the head packet are sequentially checked, to thereby find out thesub picture structure 702 including SCP #2 a and the sub picturestructure 702 including SCP #1 c in the entry section #4. Then, the SPcontrol information 712″ having the structure shown in FIG. 24 isobtained. Incidentally, FIG. 24 shows the specific content of the SPcontrol information 712 with respect to the SCP #1 c.

Then, the “SP data position” (refer to FIG. 24) recorded in the SPcontrol information in the sub picture structure including the obtainedSCP #2 a is referred to, to thereby specify the position of the SP data(the entry section) which is the control object of the SP controlinformation. Then, access to the SP data whose position is specified isperformed (the (4) process in FIG. 22). For example, if the displaystart time point T14_2 is written as the position of the SP data (theentry section), at first, the ES address information as shown in FIG. 14is referred to in the object information file, and the packet number “s”is obtained. Namely, in this example, the SPD to be read is found out toexist in the entry section #2. Then, access to the head packet (thepacket number “s”) is performed in the object data file. Then, theheaders (or the structural information 711) of the packets on the samesub picture stream which follow the head packet are sequentiallychecked, to thereby find out the sub picture structure 701 or 703including the SPD (the sub picture structure 703 shown with “SPD#2” inFIG. 22) in the entry section #2.

Then, the SP data in the sub picture structure including the obtainedSPD is read (the (4) process in FIG. 22).

Then, the look-ahead SP data is read on the basis of the total number,the identifier, and the position information (entry section) of thelook-ahead SP data written in the SP control information in the subpicture structure including the SCP#1 c obtained in the (3) process inFIG. 22 (refer to FIG. 24). For example, as shown in FIG. 24, if thetotal number of the look-ahead SP data is “1”, its identifier is “1”,and the position information of look-ahead SP data “#1” identified bythe identifier is T14_0, at first, the ES address information in FIG. 14is referred to, and the packet number q is obtained. After accessing thepacket with the packet number q, the sub picture structure including theSP data is find out from among a plurality of packets which follows thepacket with the packet number q in the entry section #0, and it is readas the look-ahead SP data (the (5) process in FIG. 22).

Incidentally, in the specific example, since the look-ahead SP data #1is already obtained in the (2) process, an obtainment operation may benot performed again.

Then, the display control based on the SP control information obtainedby the above processes is performed, and the still-picture reproductioncorresponding to the SP data is started (the (6) process). For example,on the basis of the display start time point and the display time length(refer to FIG. 21) indicated by the SP control information, thestill-picture-display is performed by the sub picture corresponding tothe SP data over a predetermined period.

As described above, by virtue of the series of processes shown in FIG.22, even in the case where the display is started from any display starttime point in the special reproduction, such as time search, chaptersearch, fast-forwarding, and rewinding, a still picture to be originallydisplayed at the display start time point is displayed. Moreover, thefollowing cases do not occur: namely, the case where the still pictureto be originally displayed at the display start time point cannot bedisplayed; and the case where the display of the still picture isstopped.

As explained with reference to FIG. 21 to FIG. 24, FIG. 14, and FIG. 15,according to the second obtaining method for the SP data and the SPcontrol information, it is possible to efficiently specify the recordingposition of the SP control information by using the ES addressinformation having an extremely small data amount of 1 bit in total ofthe one flag (refer to FIG. 23). For example, if the ES addressinformation associated with the video stream as shown in FIG. 14 is 32bits in each entry section, a small data amount of 1/32 times as largeis enough for the ES address information associated with the sub picturestream as shown in FIG. 23.

As described above, even in either one of the first and second obtainingmethods in the embodiment explained with reference to FIG. 14 to FIG.24, it is unnecessary to read the sub picture structure including the SPdata 713 of the control object, at each time of the display control bythe SP control information in reproducing, by adopting the three typesof sub picture structures 701 to 703, as shown in FIG. 17. On the otherhand, it is possible to perform display-control with respect to one SPdata 713 by the SP control information recorded aside from the one SPdata 713. In particular, it is also possible to operate a plurality ofSP control information onto the same SP data. Alternatively, it ispossible to display-control a plurality of SP data 713 by the same SPcontrol information recorded aside from the plurality of SP data 713.

Incidentally, the sub picture structure 701 or 703 including the SP data713 of this type, and the sub picture structure 702 including the SPcontrol information 712 which operates on the SP data 713 may berecorded on the same sub picture stream, and they may be recordedseparately on a plurality of sub picture streams.

(Specific Example of Reproduction Control of Still Picture by SP ControlInformation)

Next, a specific example of the reproduction control of a still pictureby operating the SP control information onto the SP data obtained in theabove manner in the embodiment will be explained with reference to FIG.25 to FIG. 29 and the above-described FIG. 14 to FIG. 17. This obtainingmethod is performed by the above-described informationrecording/reproducing apparatus 500 (refer to FIG. 8) mainly on thebasis of the SP data and the SP control information in the sub picturestructure.

Here, the explanation is about the reproduction control with respect tothe SP data included in one sub picture data structure 701 or 703 shownin FIG. 17( a) or FIG. 17( c), the reproduction control being performedby operating the SP control information included in another sub picturestructure 701 or 702 shown in FIG. 17(a) or FIG. 17( b), which isdifferent from the above sub picture data structure. FIG. 25schematically shows a method of forming a new still picture (subpicture) by operating the SP control information onto the SP data. FIG.26 schematically show a method of cutting a sub frame out of a subpicture. FIG. 27 schematically shows a method of cutting a sub frame outof a sub picture and displaying it by using the sub frame. Moreover,FIG. 28 and FIG. 29 schematically show methods of cutting a sub frameout of a sub picture and displaying it.

The reproduction control in the specific example is to display a newstill picture by operating the SP control information, which is obtainedaside from the SP data by the above-described first or second obtainingmethod from the same sub picture stream, onto the SP data, which isobtained in the same manner as the above-described first or secondobtaining method from the same sub picture stream.

As shown in FIG. 25, in the reproduction control in the specificexample, for example, with respect to he SP data in one sub picturestructure 701 or 703 (refer to FIG. 17( a) or FIG. 17( c)) used fordisplaying one still picture, i.e. sub picture 901, the SP controlinformation in a different sub picture structure 701 or 702 (refer toFIG. 17( a) or FIG. 17( b)) is operated, to thereby display a new stillpicture, i.e. sub picture 902. More specifically, the sub picture 901 iscut out in each range of sub frames 903 a, 903 b, and 903 c. Moreover,on a display screen, the new sub picture 902 is displayed so that thecut sub frame 903 a is rotated and placed in the lower right corner ofthe sub picture 902, that the sub frame 903 b is rotated and placed inthe upper left corner, and that the sub frame 903 c is placed in thelower left corner.

The conditions, such as a range of cutting out the sub frame,arrangement in displaying, scaling up and down, and rotation, arewritten in the SP control information 712. Therefore, by using one subpicture structure 701 and operating the SP control information 712included in the one sub picture structure 701 onto the SP data 713included in the one sub picture structure 701 in the same manner, onesub picture 901 is displayed. Then, by operating the SP controlinformation 712 included in another sub picture structure 702 onto theSP data 713, the new sub picture 902 can be displayed. Alternatively, byoperating the SP control information 712 included in one sub picturestructure 702 onto the SP data 713 included in another sub picturestructure 703, one sub picture 901 is displayed. Then, by operating theSP control information 712 included in another sub picture structure 702onto the SP data 713, the new sub picture 902 can be displayed.Alternatively, by operating the SP control information 712 included inone sub picture structure 701 onto the SP data 713 included in anothersub picture structure 703, one sub picture 901 is displayed. Then, byoperating the SP control information 712 included in another sub picturestructure 701 onto the SP data 713, the new sub picture 902 can bedisplayed. Except these, there are conceivable various combinations ofthe SP data and the SP control information which operates on the SPdata.

In any case, it is possible to save the limited recording capacity on adisc by using many times or sharing the SP data constructed from thebitmap data or JPEG data having a large data amount. Moreover, it ispossible to perform efficient reproduction and display processing.

In addition, in any case, it is possible to superimpose such a subpicture 901 or 902 onto a motion picture or main picture (video) basedon the video data recorded in another video stream.

As shown in FIG. 26, with respect to the cutting of a sub frame 1903from a sub picture 1901, various forms can be written in the SP controlinformation as follows and the cutting is performed: namely, in the casewhere the sub picture 1901 is matched with sub frame 1903 [FIG. 26( a)];in the case where one sub frame 1903 is designated in any narrower rangethan the sub picture 1901 [FIG. 26( b)]; in the case where there are subframes 1903 a, 1903 b, etc. in any one or more ranges narrower than thesub picture 1901 [FIG. 26( c)]; in the case where there are sub frames1903 a, 1903 b, etc. superimposing in any one or more ranges narrowerthan the sub picture 1901 [FIG. 26( d)]; in the case where there are subframes 1903 a, 1903 b, etc, one of which includes the other in any oneor more ranges narrower than the sub picture 1901 [FIG. 26( e)]; or thelike.

Next, examples of display using the above-described sub picturestructure will be explained with reference to FIG. 27 and the blockdiagram of the information recording/reproducing apparatus 500 in FIG.8. Incidentally, the stream structure in the present invention is suchthat a SPD (i.e. the head packet of the SP data) and a plurality of SCP(i.e. the head packet of the SP control information) following the SPDare disposed on one elementary stream.

The SP data for defining a sub picture 2901 is written such that SPD#1is the head packet. The SP data is read, starting from a time point t1,and stored into the memory 540. A time point t11 at which the SP data isall stored into the memory 540 is a stat time point of an effectiveperiod for the SP data. This image is effective until the reading of newSP data is started, and maintained in the memory 540. Then, the SPcontrol information having SCP#1 a as the head packet is read at a timepoint t2. The description contents are interpreted by the filesystem/logical structure data interpret device 522. The SP controlinformation operates onto the SP data stored in the memory 540 by thecontrol signal Sc5. By this, the SP data in the memory 540 is cut out ina range of sub frame 2903 a, and video-outputted through the adder 514from a time point t21. Under the control of the system controller 520,the SP data may be superimposed onto a video signal from the videodecoder 511 on the adder 514.

Then, the SP control information having SCP#1 b as the head packet isread at a time point t3 and operates onto the SP data in the memory 540in the same manner. By this, the SP data in the memory 540 is cut out ina range of sub frame 2903 b, and video-outputted in place of the subframe 2903 a from a time point t31 to a time point t32. Moreover, the SPcontrol information having SCP#1 c as the head packet is read at a timepoint t4 and operates onto the SP data in the memory 540 in the samemanner. By this, the SP data in the memory 540 is cut out in a range ofsub frame 2903 c, and video-outputted from a time point t41 to a timepoint t42. The SP data may be superimposed onto a video signal in thesame manner as the case of the sub frame 1903 a. Moreover, withoutlimiting the construction to the above-described display form, it isobviously possible to write, into the SP control information, suchcontent that the sub frames 2903 a to 2903 c are overlapped to display.

Next, a specific example will be explained with reference to FIG. 28.

As shown in FIG. 28( a), it is assumed that the SP data in which the SPDis the head packet is reproduced at the time point t1, that the SPcontrol information having the SCP#1 a as the head packet is reproducedat the time point t2, that the SP control information having the SCP#1 bas the head packet is reproduced at the time point t3, and that the SPcontrol information having the SCP#1 c as the head packet is reproducedat the time point t4. FIG. 28( b), FIG. 28( c), and FIG. 28( d) aredisplayed images as a result of the display control corresponding to theSCP#1 a, the SCP#1 b, and the SCP#1 c, respectively. Moreover, humanfigures and a road in FIG. 28( b), FIG. 28( c), and FIG. 28( d) arevideo picture from different streams.

At first, a sub picture 3901 is reproduced at the time point t1 andstored into the memory 540. Then, the SP control information having theSCP#1 a as the head packet is reproduced at the time point t2. Subframes 3903 a, 3903 b, and 3903 c in the sub picture 3901 are cut outand displayed on the video picture, according to placement, size, angle,or the like written by the SP control information. Then, the SP controlinformation having the SCP#1 b as the head packet is reproduced at thetime point t3. Sub frames 3903 d and 3903 e are cut out and displayed inthe same manner. Moreover, the SP control information having the SCP#1 cas the head packet is reproduced at the time point t4. Sub frames 3903f, 3903 g, and 3903 h are cut out and displayed in the same manner.

Then, with reference to FIG. 29, another specific example will beexplained. In this example, the displayed image can be scrolled.

As shown in FIG. 29, as a sub picture 4901, the SP data desired to bescrolled is arranged according to a predetermined rule [FIG. 29( a).Here, as described above, the SP control information is operated atpredetermined time intervals. It is written into the SP controlinformation that the designation of the sub frame 4903 at that timesequentially moves from the sub frame 4903 a to the sub frame 4903 n.

FIG. 29( b) shows a sub picture 4902 controlled by the first SP controland shows that sub frames 4903 a, 4913 a, and 4923 are displaced atdesignated positions. FIG. 29( c) shows the sub picture 4902 controlledby the n-th SP control and shows that sub frames 4903 n, 4913 n, and4923 are displaced at designated positions. Incidentally, it is writtenin each SP control information that a window of “provide” is alwaysdisplayed at this position and does not change. As a result, thefollowing picture is obtained: the window of “provide” does not move onthe sub picture 4902, a window of “Example Name” scrolls from down toup, and a window of “Sponsor” scrolls from up to down. Incidentally, itis obviously possible to scroll to the left or right, or in an arbitrarydirection, according to the description of the SP control information.

(Access Flow in Reproducing)

Next, with reference to FIG. 30, the flow of the access in reproducingat the information recording/reproducing apparatus 500, which uses theAU information 132 and the PU information 302, as one of the features ofthis embodiment, will be explained as well as the logical structure ofthe optical disc 100. FIG. 30 schematically shows an entire flow of theaccess in reproducing, in relation to the logical structure of theoptical disc 100.

In FIG. 30, the logical structure of the optical disc 100 is categorizedbroadly into the following three hierarchies: a logical hierarchy 401;an object hierarchy 403; and a logic-object associating hierarchy 402mutually associating those two hierarchies.

Among them, the logical hierarchy 401 is a hierarchy that logicallyspecifies various logical information to reproduce the desired titlewhen reproducing, as well as the play list (P list) to be reproduced andits construction content. In the logical hierarchy 401, disc information110 d indicating the entire titles 200 and the like on the optical disc100 is written within the disc information file 110 (refer to FIG. 3),and further, reproduction sequence information 120 d of the entirecontents on the optical disc 100 is written within the play listinformation file 120 (refer to FIG. 3). More specifically, theconstruction of one or a plurality of play lists 126 is written in eachtitle 200 as the reproduction sequence information 120 d, and theconstruction of one or a plurality of Items 204 (refer to FIG. 7) iswritten in each play list 126. Then, in accessing at the time of thereproduction, the logical hierarchy 401 as described above specifies thetitle 200 to be reproduced, the play list 126 corresponding to this, andfurther the Item 204 corresponding to this.

Then, the logic-object associating hierarchy 402 is a hierarchy thatspecifies the attribute and the physical storing address of the TSobject data 140 d to be reproduced, so as to specify the combinationand/or the construction of the TS object data 140 d as being the entitydata and perform an address conversion to the object hierarchy 403 fromthe logical hierarchy 401, on the basis of the information specified inthe logical hierarchy 401 as described above. More specifically, in thelogic-object associating hierarchy 402, the object information data 130d, which separates a group of the contents constituting each Item 204into units of the AU 132 and which finely separates each AU 132 intounits of the PU 302, is written in the object information file 130(refer to FIG. 3).

Here, “the PU (Presentation Unit) 302” is a unit of associating andgrouping a plurality of elementary streams for each unit of changing thereproduction. If there are three audio streams in this PU 302, the usercan also freely change three audio (e.g. audio in different languagesand the like) while reproducing this vision.

On the other hand, “the AU (Associate Unit) 132” is a unit ofassociating or grouping a plurality of elementary streams, such as thevideo stream, in the TS object used in one title, and is a group of oneor a plurality of PUs 302. More specifically, the AU 132 is a unit ofgrouping the elementary stream packet ID (ES_PID) for each TS object,indirectly through the PU 302. This AU 132 corresponds to a group of aplurality of shows or programs mutually having a special relationshipconsidering the contents, for example, a plurality of shows or programsmutually changeable in multiple broadcasting and the like. Then, the PU302, which belongs to the same AU 132, corresponds to a group of one ora plurality of elementary streams which constitute a plurality of showsor programs mutually changeable by the user operation when reproducing.

Therefore, if the AU 132 to be reproduced is specified, and moreover,the PU 302 which belongs to the AU 132 is specified, then the elementarystream to be reproduced is specified. Namely, even if not using the PATnor the PMT shown in FIG. 6, it becomes possible to reproduce thedesired elementary stream from among the multiplexed and recordedelementary streams from the optical disc 100.

The more specific data structure of the AU information 132I and the PUinformation 302I, which respectively define the AU 132 and the PU 302described above, will be explained later with reference to FIG. 34.

Here, the elementary stream that is actually reproduced is identified orspecified by the ES_PID, which is the packet ID of the elementary stream(refer to FIG. 6), from the PU information 302I. At the same time, byconverting the information indicating the starting time and the endingtime of the reproduction to the address information of the elementarystream, the content in a specific area (or specific time range) of aspecific elementary stream is reproduced.

In this manner, in the logic-object associating hierarchy 402, theaddress conversion to the physical address related to each PU 302 fromthe logical address related to each Item 204 is executed.

Then, the object hierarchy 403 is a physical hierarchy to reproduce theactual TS object data 140 d. In the object hierarchy 403, the TS objectdata 140 d is written within the object data file 140 (refer to FIG. 3).More specifically, the TS packets 146 constituting a plurality ofelementary streams (ES) are multiplexed at each time point, and thearrangement of the TS packets 146 along the time axis enables aplurality of elementary streams to be constructed (refer to FIG. 5).Then, the plurality of TS packets 146 multiplexed at each time point areassociated with the PU 302 identified at the logic-object associatinghierarchy 402, for each elementary stream. Incidentally, it is alsopossible to associate a plurality of PUs 302 with one elementary stream(e.g. to share the elementary stream related to the same audio dataand/or the elementary stream related to the same sub picture data, amonga plurality of changeable shows or programs).

In this manner, in the object hierarchy 403, the actual object data isreproduced using the physical address obtained by the conversion at thelogic-object associating hierarchy 402.

As described above, the three hierarchies shown in FIG. 30 allow theexecution of the access with respect to the optical disc 100 inreproducing.

(Each Information File Structure)

Next, with reference to FIG. 31 to FIG. 34, various information filesconstructed on the optical disc 100 in the embodiment, i.e. the datastructures of (1) the disc information file 110, (2) the play listinformation file 120, and (3) the object information file 130, whichhave been explained with reference to FIG. 3, will be explained usingtheir own specific examples.

(1) Disc Information File:

Firstly, with reference to FIG. 31 and FIG. 32, the disc informationfile 110 will be explained in detail using one specific example. FIG. 31schematically shows one specific example of the data structure of thedisc information file 110. FIG. 32 schematically shows one specificexample of the data structure of the title information table 114included in the disc information file 110.

In this specific example as shown in FIG. 31, the disc information file110 stores therein the disc comprehensive information 112, the titleinformation table 114, and the other information 118.

Among them, the disc comprehensive information 112 is comprehensiveinformation, such as disc volume information indicating the serialnumber of one series constructed by a plurality of optical discs 100,total title number information and so on.

The title information table 114 stores therein the entire play listsconstituting each title and the other information, e.g. information foreach title, such as chapter information within the title and the like,and includes title pointer information, title #1 information, title #2information, and so on. Here, the “title pointer information” is thestoring address information of the title #n information, i.e. thestoring address information indicating the storing position of the title#n information in the title information table 114, as the correspondencerelationship is indicated with arrows in FIG. 31, and the “title pointerinformation” is written with a relative logical address. Then, thisinformation of the number of titles in the optical disc 100 is arrangedin the order of the titles as the relative logical address.Incidentally, the data amount of each storing address information may bea fixed byte or a changeable byte.

The other information 118 is information about each title, such as thetitle type, for example, the sequential type, the branch type, and thelike, and the total number of play lists.

For example, in the case where the title is simply provided with oneplay list, the title information table 114 stored in the discinformation file 110 shown in FIG. 31 is written as a table havingrelatively simple contents as shown in FIG. 32.

(2) Play List Information File:

Next, with reference to FIG. 33, the play list information file 120 willbe explained in detail using one specific example. FIG. 33 schematicallyshows one specific example of the data structure on the play listinformation table 121 constructed in the play list information file 120.

In this specific example, as shown in FIG. 33, the play list informationfile 120 stores therein play list comprehensive information 122, a playlist pointer table 124, and a play list #1 information table and a playlist #2 information table 126, for each Field type, as the play listinformation table 121 (refer to FIG. 3).

Each Field may have a structure that allows the necessary number of eachtable to be added. For example, if there are four play lists, therelative Field may increase to four Fields under this structure, and sodoes the Item information table.

Among them, the play list comprehensive information (P listcomprehensive information) 122 describes therein the size of the playlist table, the total number of play lists, and the like.

The play list pointer table (P list pointer table) 124 stores thereinthe address of each play list written position as being the relativelogical address in the play list information table 126, as thecorrespondence relationship is indicated with arrows in FIG. 33.

The play list #1 information table (P list #1 information table) 126stores therein comprehensive information about the play list #1, theItem information table 129 of the play list #1 (P list Item informationtable) and the other information. The play list #2 information table 126also stores therein the same type of information related to the playlist #2.

The “Item information table 129” stores therein the Item information ofthe total number of Items constituting one program list. Here, an AUnumber in the AU (Associate Unit) table written in the “Item #1 (Item #1information)” or the “Item #2 (Item #2 information)” is the number ofthe AU, which stores information for specifying the address of the TSobject to be used for the Item reproduction, or specifying eachelementary stream (i.e. the video stream, the audio stream, or the subpicture stream) in the TS object to be used for the Item reproduction.

(3) Object Information File:

Next, with reference to FIG. 34, the object information file 130 will beexplained in detail using one specific example. FIG. 34 schematicallyshows one specific example of the data structures on the AU table 131(refer to FIG. 3) constructed in the object information file 130 and onthe ES map table 134 (refer to FIG. 3) related to the AU table 131.

In this specific example, as shown in FIG. 34, the object informationfile 130 stores therein object information tables. The objectinformation tables comprise the AU table 131 shown in the upper part ofFIG. 34 and the ES map table 134 shown in the lower part.

In the upper part of FIG. 34, the AU table 131 may have a structure thatallow the necessary number of tables for each Field to be added. Forexample, if there are four AUs, the relative Field may increase to fourFields under this structure.

The AU table 131 stores therein “AU table comprehensive information” inwhich the number of AUs and the pointer to each AU, and the like arewritten, and “the other information.”

The AU table 131 describes therein the Index number (Index number=. . .) of the corresponding ES map table 134, as the AU information 132Iindicating an ES table Index #m in each PU #m corresponding to each AU#n. Here, the “AU” is a unit corresponding to a “show” in TV broadcast,for example, as mentioned above (especially, in the case of“multi-vision” broadcasting, it is a unit of a group of a plurality of“visions” which are changeable or selectable), and it includes one ormore PUs, each of which is a reproduction unit. Moreover, the “PU” is agroup of mutually changeable elementary streams which are included ineach AU, as described above, and the ES table Index #m corresponding toeach PU is specified by the PU information 302I. For example, in thecase of constructing multi-view contents with the AU, the AU storestherein a plurality of PUs, and each PU stores therein the pointers to aplurality of elementary stream packet IDs, which indicate the packetsconstituting the content of each view. This indicates the Index numberin the ES map table 134, as described later.

In the embodiment, discontinuity information for indicating adiscontinuous condition of the packet number may be given to the AUtable 131, in the case where a packet or packets are lacked by theediting processing in the serial number of the packets in theabove-described TS object 142. By using the discontinuity information,without giving a new packet number when a packet or packets are lacked,it is possible to specify the address of a packet which is an accessobject, by counting the number of packets in view of the discontinuouscondition indicated by the discontinuity information (with a packetwhose elementary stream is specified as a start point). Suchdiscontinuity information includes information for the start point ofdiscontinuity and the number of lacked packets, for example. Asdescribed above, the discontinuity information is commonly unified andwritten with respect to the plurality of AUs, which is extremelyexcellent from the viewpoint of saving the recording capacity.Incidentally, it is possible to write such discontinuity information inor out of the object information file except the AU table 131.

In the lower part of FIG. 34, the ES map table 134 stores therein ES maptable comprehensive information, a plurality of Indexes #m (m=1, 2, . .. ), and the “other information”, for each Field.

The “ES map table comprehensive information” describes therein the sizeof the ES map table, the total number of Indexes, and the like.

The “Index #m” includes the elementary stream packet IDs (ES_PIDs) ofthe entire elementary streams to be used for the reproduction, thecorresponding Index numbers, and the address information of theelementary stream.

Particularly in the embodiment, if the elementary stream is the videostream of the MPEG 2 as described above, only the TS packet number ofthe TS packet at the head of the I picture and the corresponding displaytime length are written as the address information, i.e. the ES addressinformation 134 d on the ES map table 134, by which the data amount istried to be reduced (refer to FIG. 14). On the other hand, with respectto the ES address information 134 d of the sub picture stream, the SCPidentification flag and the SP data identification flag are written ineach entry section by writing the index number information 134 e of theelementary stream used as the entry section. By this, the data amount isfurther tried to be reduced (refer to FIG. 20 and FIG. 24).

Because of the construction as described above, it is possible to obtainthe elementary stream packet ID (ES_PID) of the actual elementary streamfrom the Index number of the ES map 134 specified from the AU table 131.Moreover, since the address information of the elementary streamcorresponding to the elementary stream packet ID can be obtained at thesame time, it is possible to reproduce the object data on the basis ofthese information.

According to the data structure of the optical disc 100 explained above,even in the case of adding a new title to the optical disc 100,necessary information can be added easily, which is useful. On the otherhand, even if some information becomes unnecessary as a result ofediting or the like, for example, what is to be done is simply not torefer to the information, and it is not necessary to actually delete theinformation from the table, which is useful, as well.

Incidentally, in FIG. 34, even the ES_PID that is not referred to fromthe AU table 131 in the upper part is described by the Index of the ESmap table 134 in the lower part; however, it is not necessary todescribe the ES_PID that is not referred to, in this manner. If the moreversatile ES map table 134 is prepared in advance by describing theES_PID that is not referred to in this manner, it is not necessary toreconstruct the ES map table in the case of reediting the content, suchas trying the authoring operation again, which is advantageous.

As explained in detail with reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 34, according tothe embodiment, it is possible to efficiently multiplex and record thestill picture data which is constructed from the bitmap data having arelatively large data amount, as the sub picture data, along with thevideo data and the audio data.

Moreover, it is possible to control the image output of the sub picturedata by a plurality of image output control, to thereby image-output onesub picture with various forms. By maintaining the sub picture, it ispossible to use the same data as different representation. Thus, it ispossible to provide a device which is extremely simple for softformation and which is rich in diversity.

Furthermore, by using one bit of the flag information, such as the SCPidentification flag and the SP data identification flag, it is possibleto efficiently perform the obtainment processing of the SP controlinformation and the SP data and the reproduction control processing ofthe sub picture. In particular, the data amount required for the aboveprocessing is small, so that it is possible to save the recordingcapacity on the optical disc 100.

Incidentally, the optical disc 100 as one example of the informationrecording medium and a recorder or a player related to the optical disc100 as one example of the information recording/reproducing apparatusare explained in the above described embodiment; however, the presentinvention is not limited to the optical disc, and the recorder or theplayer. The present invention is available for the other variousinformation recording/reproducing media corresponding to the highdensity recording or the high transmission rate, and their recorders orplayers.

As explained above, according to this embodiment, it is possible tomultiplex and record the still picture information having a relativelylarge data amount, along with the motion picture information (or thevideo information) and the audio information, and it is possible toreproduce the still picture information while inhibiting an increase inthe load in the reproduction and display processing. Particularly, byadopting the still picture information set (e.g. the sub picturestructure) associated with the present invention, to thereby operate thedifferent still picture control information with respect to the stillpicture information associated with one sub picture and display it, itis possible to use the same still picture information for many differentrepresentation. By this, it is possible to save the recording capacityfor the still picture/image having a large data amount. Moreover, byadopting the control information identification flag (e.g. the SCPidentification flag) and the still picture information identificationflag (e.g. the SP data identification flag) associated with the presentinvention, it is possible to efficiently perform the obtainmentprocessing and reproduction control processing of the still pictureinformation. By inhibiting a data amount required for the processing, itis possible to save the recording capacity as a whole.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments,and changes may be made if desired without departing from the scope orspirit of the invention which can be read from the claims and the entirespecification. An information recording medium, an apparatus for and amethod of recording the information, an apparatus for and a method ofreproducing the information, an apparatus for and a method of recordingand reproducing the information, a computer program for controlling therecord or the reproduction, and a data structure including a controlsignal that accompany such changes are also intended to be within thetechnical scope of the present invention.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

An information recording medium, a apparatus for and a method ofrecording the information, an apparatus for and a method of reproducingthe information, an apparatus for and a method of recording andreproducing the information, a computer program for controlling therecord or the reproduction, and a data structure including a controlsignal that are associated with the present invention can be applied toa high-density optical disc for consumer or industrial use, such as aDVD, on which various information, such as the video information, theaudio information, the sub picture information, and the reproductioncontrol information, can be recorded at high density and further can beapplied to a DVD player, a DVD recorder, and the like. Moreover, theycan be applied to an information recording medium, an informationrecording/reproducing apparatus, or the like, which are inserted in orcan be connected to various computer equipment for consumer orindustrial use, for example.

1. An information recording medium on which content information, whichincludes still picture information, is recorded by a unit of packet,said information recording medium comprising: an object data file forstoring object data which comprises a plurality of packets includingpackets each storing therein a piece of the content information; and areproduction sequence information file for storing reproduction sequenceinformation which defines a reproduction sequence of the object data,wherein the plurality of packets constituting the object data includepackets each storing therein a piece of respective one of still pictureinformation sets, the still picture information set including at leastone of the still picture information and still picture controlinformation for controlling display of the still picture information,with respect to at least one portion of the still picture information, adisplay control to the still picture information included in one stillpicture information set out of the still picture information sets isdescribed by the still picture control information included in anotherstill picture information set out of the still picture information sets,and the still picture control information includes at least one ofcutting range information for the still picture information, arrangementinformation in displaying, control information for scaling up and down,and rotation control information.
 2. The information recording mediumaccording to claim 1, wherein the still picture control informationincludes the cutting range information for the still pictureinformation.
 3. The information recording medium according to claim 2,wherein the still picture control information includes the arrangementinformation in displaying the still picture information.
 4. Theinformation recording medium according to claim 1, wherein the stillpicture information set includes at least one of first and third stillpicture information sets and includes a second still picture informationset, out of (i) the first still picture information set for includingthe still picture information, the still picture control information,and structural information for indicating a structure of the stillpicture information set, (ii) the second still picture information setfor including the still picture control information and the structuralinformation but not including the still picture information, and (iii)the third still picture information set for including the still pictureinformation and the structural information but not including the stillpicture control information.
 5. The information recording mediumaccording to claim 4, wherein a display control to the still pictureinformation included in at least one of the first and third stillpicture information sets is described by the still picture controlinformation included in the second still picture information set.
 6. Theinformation recording medium according to claim 4, wherein a displaycontrol to the still picture information included in at least one of thefirst and third still picture information sets is described by aplurality of the still picture control information included in aplurality of the second still picture information set, so as to performa plurality of mutually different display controls.
 7. An informationrecording apparatus for recording content information, which includesstill picture information, onto an information recording medium by aunit of packet, said information recording apparatus comprising: a firstrecording device for recording an object data file for storing objectdata which comprises a plurality of packets including packets eachstoring therein a piece of the content information; and a secondrecording device for recording a reproduction sequence information filefor storing reproduction sequence information which defines areproduction sequence of the object data, wherein the plurality ofpackets constituting the object data include packets each storingtherein a piece of respective one of still picture information sets, thestill picture information set including at least one of the stillpicture information and still picture control information forcontrolling display of the still picture information, with respect to atleast one portion of the still picture information, a display control tothe still picture information included in one still picture informationset out of the still picture information sets is described by the stillpicture control information included in another still pictureinformation set out of the still picture information sets, and the stillpicture control information includes at least one of cutting rangeinformation for the still picture information, arrangement informationin displaying, control information for scaling up and down, and rotationcontrol information.
 8. The information recording apparatus according toclaim 7, wherein the still picture control information includes thecutting range information for the still picture information.
 9. Aninformation recording method of recording content information, whichincludes still picture information, onto an information recording mediumby a unit of packet, said information recording method comprising: afirst recording process of recording an object data file for storingobject data which comprises a plurality of packets including packetseach storing therein a piece of the content information; and a secondrecording process of recording a reproduction sequence information filefor storing reproduction sequence information which defines areproduction sequence of the object data, wherein the plurality ofpackets constituting the object data include packets each storingtherein a piece of respective one of still picture information sets, thestill picture information set including at least one of the stillpicture information and still picture control information forcontrolling display of the still picture information, with respect to atleast one portion of the still picture information, a display control tothe still picture information included in one still picture informationset out of the still picture information set is described by the stillpicture control information included in another still pictureinformation set out of the still picture information sets, and the stillpicture control information includes at least one of cutting rangeinformation for the still picture information, arrangement informationin displaying, control information for scaling up and down, and rotationcontrol information.
 10. The information recording method according toclaim 9, wherein the still picture control information includes thecutting range information for the still picture information.
 11. Aninformation reproducing apparatus for reproducing recorded contentinformation from an information recording medium on which the contentinformation, which includes still picture information, is recorded by aunit of packet, said information recording medium comprising: an objectdata file for storing object data which comprises a plurality of packetsincluding packets each storing therein a piece of the contentinformation; and a reproduction sequence information file for storingreproduction sequence information which defines a reproduction sequenceof the object data, wherein the plurality of packets constituting theobject data include packets each storing therein a piece of respectiveone of still picture information sets, the still picture information setincluding at least one of the still picture information and stillpicture control information for controlling display of the still pictureinformation, with respect to at least one portion of the still pictureinformation, a display control to the still picture information includedin one still picture information set out of the still pictureinformation sets is described by the still picture control informationincluded in another still picture information set out of the stillpicture information sets, and the still picture control informationincludes at least one of cutting range information for the still pictureinformation, arrangement information in displaying, control informationfor scaling up and down, and rotation control information, saidinformation reproducing apparatus comprising: a reading device forreading information from said information recording medium; and areproducing device for reproducing the object data included in theinformation read by said reading device on the basis of the reproductionsequence information included in the information read by said readingdevice.
 12. The information reproducing apparatus according to claim 11,wherein the still picture control information includes the cutting rangeinformation for the still picture information.
 13. An informationreproducing method of reproducing recorded content information from aninformation recording medium on which the content information, whichincludes still picture information, is recorded by a unit of packet,said information recording medium comprising: an object data file forstoring object data which comprises a plurality of packets includingpackets each storing therein a piece of the content information; and areproduction sequence information file for storing reproduction sequenceinformation which defines a reproduction sequence of the object data,wherein the plurality of packets constituting the object data includepackets each storing therein a piece of respective one of still pictureinformation sets, the still picture information set including at leastone of the still picture information and still picture controlinformation for controlling display of the still picture information,with respect to at least one portion of the still picture information, adisplay control to the still picture information included in one stillpicture information set out of the still picture information sets isdescribed by the still picture control information included in anotherstill picture information set out of the still picture information sets,and the still picture control information includes at least one ofcutting range information for the still picture information, arrangementinformation in displaying, control information for scaling up and down,and rotation control information, said information reproducing methodcomprising: a reading process of reading information from saidinformation recording medium; and a reproducing process of reproducingthe object data included in the information read by said reading processon the basis of the reproduction sequence information included in theinformation read by said reading process.
 14. The informationreproducing method according to claim 13, wherein the still picturecontrol information includes the cutting range information for the stillpicture information.
 15. A computer program product for controllingrecord and for tangibly embodying a program of instructions executableby a computer to make the computer function as at least one portion of afirst recording device and a second recording device, the computer beingprovided in an information recording apparatus for recording contentinformation, which includes still picture information, onto aninformation recording medium by a unit of packet, said informationrecording apparatus comprising: said first recording device forrecording an object data file for storing object data which comprises aplurality of packets including packets each storing therein a piece ofthe content information; and said second recording device for recordinga reproduction sequence information file for storing reproductionsequence information which defines a reproduction sequence of the objectdata, wherein the plurality of packets constituting the object datainclude packets each storing therein a piece of respective one of stillpicture information sets, the still picture information set including atleast one of the still picture information and still picture controlinformation for controlling display of the still picture information,with respect to at least one portion of the still picture information, adisplay control to the still picture information included in one stillpicture information set out of the still picture information sets isdescribed by the still picture control information included in anotherstill picture information set out of the still picture information sets,and the still picture control information includes at least one ofcutting range information for the still picture information, arrangementinformation in displaying, control information for scaling up and down,and rotation control information.
 16. The computer program productaccording to claim 15, wherein the still picture control informationincludes the cutting range information for the still pictureinformation.
 17. A computer program product for controlling reproductionand for tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by acomputer to make the computer function as at least one portion of areproducing device, the computer being provided in an informationreproducing apparatus for reproducing recorded content information froman information recording medium on which the content information, whichincludes still picture information, is recorded by a unit of packet,said information recording medium comprising: an object data file forstoring object data which comprises a plurality of packets includingpackets each storing therein a piece of the content information; and areproduction sequence information file for storing reproduction sequenceinformation which defines a reproduction sequence of the object data,wherein the plurality of packets constituting the object data includepackets each storing therein a piece of respective one of still pictureinformation sets, the still picture information set including at leastone of the still picture information and still picture controlinformation for controlling display of the still picture information,with respect to at least one portion of the still picture information, adisplay control to the still picture information included in one stillpicture information set out of the still picture information sets isdescribed by the still picture control information included in anotherstill picture information set out of the still picture information sets,and the still picture control information includes at least one ofcutting range information for the still picture information, arrangementinformation in displaying, control information for scaling up and down,and rotation control information, said information reproducing apparatuscomprising: a reading device for reading information from saidinformation recording medium; and said reproducing device forreproducing the object data included in the information read by saidreading device on the basis of the reproduction sequence informationincluded in the information read by said reading device.
 18. Thecomputer program product according to claim 17, wherein the stillpicture control information includes the cutting range information forthe still picture information.
 19. A data structure including a controlsignal, in which content information, which includes still pictureinformation, is recorded by a unit of packet, comprising: an object datafile for storing object data which comprises a plurality of packetsincluding packets each storing therein a piece of the contentinformation; and a reproduction sequence information file for storingreproduction sequence information which defines a reproduction sequenceof the object data, wherein the plurality of packets constituting theobject data include packets each storing therein a piece of respectiveone of still picture information sets, the still picture information setincluding at least one of the still picture information and stillpicture control information for controlling display of the still pictureinformation, with respect to at least one portion of the still pictureinformation, a display control to the still picture information includedin one still picture information set out of the still pictureinformation sets is described by the still picture control informationincluded in another still picture information set out of the stillpicture information sets, and the still picture control informationincludes at least one of cutting range information for the still pictureinformation, arrangement information in displaying, control informationfor scaling up and down, and rotation control information.
 20. The datastructure according to claim 19, wherein the still picture controlinformation includes the cutting range information for the still pictureinformation.